Characterization of Urinary Calculi Using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy and X-ray Diffraction: A Regional Study in Iran

Detailed compositional analysis of kidney stones is crucial for effective treatment and prevention; however, region-specific data are often limited. this study aimed to characterize the composition of urinary stones in yazd province, iran, where such information is required. urinary stones from 40 patients in yazd were analyzed using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (libs) for elemental identification and x-ray diffraction (xrd) for crystalline structure determination. libs was applied to both macroscopically uniform and heterogeneous stones to assess the intra-stone variability in elemental composition. libs revealed the consistent prominence of carbon, calcium, and nitrogen in uniform stones. notably, heterogeneous stones exhibited significant intra-stone variations in elemental composition. xrd identified key crystalline components, including calcium oxalate (whewellite and raphide), calcium carbonate (calcite), and uric acid (uracite). these findings offer region-specific understanding into the types and characteristics of urinary stones prevalent in yazd, iran, emphasizing the importance of considering intra-stone heterogeneity. the integration of libs and xrd offers a comprehensive approach to stone characterization. further research correlating these findings with patient-specific and environmental factors in yazd is warranted to improve our understanding and treatment strategies.