Viewing device to classify kidney stones

Albert Pell

Universitat Autonoma de Barcelona (UAB), Spain

Research

myStone is an optical medical device for the analysis and classification of kidney stones. Once trained in the recognition of stones, it will be able to give similar results to the conventional methods as well as structural information. Hence, myStone gives useful clinical information to the urologists, allowing them to give an adequate treatment for each patient in order to reduce the recurrence rate.

Aim

To design a device able to give an accurate classification of the stones. To provide the information that the urologist need to prescribe the most suitable treatment to the patients in the shortest time possible.

Problem to Solve

Globally 15 % of the population suffers from kidney stones. The formation of solid depositions along the urinary tract is a common disease named lithiasis which is chronic and has a high recurrence rate. The prevalence of kidney stones is increasing worldwide, and the recurrence affects 6,5 % of the patients at five years. Since treat that disease is costly, the medical community (and the society) has a clear need of reducing incidence and recurrence rates. Currently, hospitals performed the kidney stones analysis using inexpensive and inefficient methodologies, however, urologists often found deficient information to provide appropriate treatment to the patient.

Innovation

myStone is designed to analyse pictures and detect the major compounds found in kidney stones as well as to provide detailed information about the stone, such as the types of components, their forms and their distribution in the stone, to allow an accurate classification and identification of it.

This new product has been designed to overcome some of the handicaps detected in traditional stone analysis techniques. Compared to other techniques, myStone offers a time saving, more detailed and easy to use solution, while having the laboratory on the doctor´s desk and therewith providing autonomy for the urologist.

Level of Innovation

The most common methodologies to analyse kidney stones have some drawbacks, such as the need of trained technicians, the stone has to be sent to an external laboratory, are time consuming and expensive.

The contribution of myStone to the society is remarkable as it is fast, cheap and allows on-site kidney stones analyses, saving time and money to the Healthcare systems but also with an enormous positive impact in the quality of life of lithiasic patients. The urologist might be able to prescribe the adequate treatment in the shortest time possible reducing kidney stone recurrence.