{"id":1466,"date":"2020-08-07T08:00:00","date_gmt":"2020-08-07T01:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/?p=1466"},"modified":"2026-08-15T00:21:24","modified_gmt":"2026-08-14T17:21:24","slug":"tutti-i-calcoli-renali-devono-essere-trattati","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/it\/2020\/08\/07\/all-kidney-stones-need-to-treat\/","title":{"rendered":"Does Every Kidney Stone Need Treating?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wp-block-columns coblocks-author-columns has-background is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-52275889 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\" style=\"background-color:#8C8C971A;padding-top:2.5rem;padding-right:2.5rem;padding-bottom:2.5rem;padding-left:2.5rem\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:25%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full is-style-rounded\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"800\" data-attachment-id=\"7037\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/it\/new-photo-2024\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/New-Photo-2024.png?fit=800%2C800&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"800,800\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Dr. Soarawee Weerasopone \u2014 Board-Certified Urologist in Bangkok, Thailand\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Dr. Soarawee Weerasopone \u2014 Board-Certified Urologist in Bangkok, Thailand&lt;\/p&gt;\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/New-Photo-2024.png?fit=800%2C800&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/New-Photo-2024.png?resize=800%2C800&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Il miglior urologo in Chonburi e Cambogia\" class=\"wp-image-7037\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/New-Photo-2024.png?w=800&amp;ssl=1 800w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/New-Photo-2024.png?resize=300%2C300&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/New-Photo-2024.png?resize=150%2C150&amp;ssl=1 150w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/New-Photo-2024.png?resize=768%2C768&amp;ssl=1 768w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/New-Photo-2024.png?resize=12%2C12&amp;ssl=1 12w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/New-Photo-2024.png?resize=600%2C600&amp;ssl=1 600w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/New-Photo-2024.png?resize=400%2C400&amp;ssl=1 400w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/12\/New-Photo-2024.png?resize=200%2C200&amp;ssl=1 200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:75%\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/it\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Soarawee Weerasopone, Urologo<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"\/it\/Prenota una consulenza\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sede dell'ospedale di Bangkok, Bangkok<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"tel:+66880221445\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ospedale Samitivej Sriracha \u2014 Reparto di urologia: <strong>088-022-1445<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-layout-flex wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-outline is-style-outline--1\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-background-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color has-small-font-size has-custom-font-size wp-element-button\" href=\"\/it\/Prenota una consulenza\/\" style=\"color:#1b4965\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Prenota una consulenza<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-social-links aligncenter has-normal-icon-size is-style-default coblocks-animate is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-social-links-is-layout-3e41869c wp-block-social-links-is-layout-flex\"><li class=\"wp-social-link wp-social-link-wordpress 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1.732 0 0 1-.064.262c-.13.523-.402.913-.815 1.17-.413.255-.95.382-1.61.382z\"\/>\n    <\/svg>\n  <\/a>\n  \n  <a href=\"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-8387-3559\" \n     target=\"_blank\" \n     rel=\"noopener\"\n     title=\"ORCID iD\"\n     aria-label=\"Visualizza Profilo ORCID\"\n     style=\"text-decoration: none; color: #A6CE39; transition: transform 0.2s; display: inline-block;\"\n     onmouseover=\"this.style.transform='scale(1.15)'\"\n     onmouseout=\"this.style.transform='scale(1)'\">\n    <svg width=\"28\" height=\"28\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n      <path d=\"M12 0C5.372 0 0 5.372 0 12s5.372 12 12 12 12-5.372 12-12S18.628 0 12 0zM7.369 4.378c.525 0 .947.431.947.947 0 .525-.422.947-.947.947-.525 0-.946-.422-.946-.947 0-.525.421-.947.946-.947zm-.722 3.038h1.444v10.041H6.647V7.416zm3.562 0h3.9c3.712 0 5.344 2.653 5.344 5.025 0 2.578-2.016 5.025-5.325 5.025h-3.919V7.416zm1.444 1.303v7.444h2.297c3.272 0 4.022-2.484 4.022-3.722 0-2.016-1.284-3.722-4.097-3.722h-2.222z\"\/>\n    <\/svg>\n  <\/a>\n  \n  <a href=\"https:\/\/scholar.google.com\/citations?user=lTgsRMUAAAAJ&#038;hl=en\" \n     target=\"_blank\" \n     rel=\"noopener\"\n     title=\"Google Scholar\"\n     aria-label=\"Visualizza il profilo di Google Scholar\"\n     style=\"text-decoration: none; color: #4285F4; transition: transform 0.2s; display: inline-block;\"\n     onmouseover=\"this.style.transform='scale(1.15)'\"\n     onmouseout=\"this.style.transform='scale(1)'\">\n    <svg width=\"28\" height=\"28\" viewbox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"currentColor\">\n      <path d=\"M5.242 13.769L0.5 9.5 12 1l11.5 8.5-4.742 4.269C17.548 11.249 14.978 9.5 12 9.5c-2.977 0-5.548 1.748-6.758 4.269zM12 10a7 7 0 1 0 0 14 7 7 0 0 0 0-14z\"\/>\n    <\/svg>\n  <\/a>\n  \n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap wp-block-paragraph\">One of the commonest conversations in my office starts with a health-check report: a kidney stone, found by chance, in someone with no symptoms at all. The assumption that follows is almost always the same \u2014 that it has to come out. Often it does not, and sometimes there is no stone there to begin with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">First: is it really a stone?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Health-check packages use <strong>ultrasound<\/strong>, and for good reasons \u2014 it is quick, inexpensive and involves no radiation. But it is a <strong>screening<\/strong> tool, and screening tools are built to avoid missing things rather than to be precise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"533\" data-attachment-id=\"1470\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/it\/2020\/08\/07\/all-kidney-stones-need-to-treat\/close-up-doctor-conducts-ultrasound-diagnostics-of-the-patients-abdomen-and-internal-organs\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Ultrasonography.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1200,800\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;2.2&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;Canon EOS 5D Mark III&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Close-up doctor conducts ultrasound diagnostics of the patients abdomen and internal organs.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1556323200&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;Kukota Ekaterina Mobile phone: +380638533305&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;35&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;200&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.008&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Close-up doctor conducts ultrasound diagnostics of the patients abdomen and internal organs&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Ultrasonography is a good tool in screening check up\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Ultrasonography is a good tool in screening check up&lt;\/p&gt;\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Ultrasonography.jpg?fit=800%2C534&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Ultrasonography.jpg?resize=800%2C533&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"Abdominal ultrasound examination, the usual way a kidney stone is found at a health checkup\" class=\"wp-image-1470\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Ultrasonography.jpg?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Ultrasonography.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Ultrasonography.jpg?resize=1024%2C683&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/Ultrasonography.jpg?resize=768%2C512&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Ultrasound is an excellent screening tool \u2014 which is not the same as a definitive one.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Where ultrasound falls short<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>It depends on the operator.<\/strong> Accuracy varies considerably with the experience of the person holding the probe.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>It <a href=\"https:\/\/pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/27578040\/\">overcalls small stones<\/a>.<\/strong> Its accuracy for small stones is only around 45%, and calcified blood vessels or calcification within kidney tissue can look very like a stone. A good number of people are told they have one when they do not.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>It struggles in larger patients.<\/strong> Thick tissue degrades the image and the reliability with it.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Where the finding needs confirming, the gold standard is a <strong>non-contrast CT<\/strong>: around 95% accurate, able to detect stones as small as 1.25 mm, and able to tell you exactly how big the stone is and where it sits \u2014 which is what actually decides the management. Modern low-dose stone protocols use radiation far below any level of concern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image aligncenter size-large\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"800\" height=\"534\" data-attachment-id=\"1469\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/it\/2020\/08\/07\/all-kidney-stones-need-to-treat\/doctor-and-patient-in-the-room-of-computed-tomography-at-hospital\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/CT-scan.jpg?fit=1200%2C801&amp;ssl=1\" data-orig-size=\"1200,801\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;5.6&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;Zaiets Roman&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;NIKON D600&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;Doctor and patient in the room of computed tomography at hospital. Medical equipment.&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;1523967878&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;Zaiets Roman&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;17&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;500&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0.00625&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;Doctor and patient in the room of computed tomography at hospital.&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;1&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"CT scan is the definite investigation in urinary tract stone surveillance\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;CT scan is the definite investigation in urinary tract stone surveillance&lt;\/p&gt;\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/CT-scan.jpg?fit=800%2C534&amp;ssl=1\" src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/CT-scan.jpg?resize=800%2C534&#038;ssl=1\" alt=\"CT scanner used for definitive low-dose imaging of urinary tract stones\" class=\"wp-image-1469\" srcset=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/CT-scan.jpg?w=1200&amp;ssl=1 1200w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/CT-scan.jpg?resize=300%2C200&amp;ssl=1 300w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/CT-scan.jpg?resize=1024%2C684&amp;ssl=1 1024w, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/08\/CT-scan.jpg?resize=768%2C513&amp;ssl=1 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Non-contrast CT settles both questions at once: whether there is a stone, and how big it is.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why 4 mm is the number that matters<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">No \u2014 not every stone needs removing. The narrowest part of the urinary tract is the ureter, and a stone of <strong>4 mm or smaller<\/strong> has a good chance of passing through it on its own, often without severe pain. Below that size, <strong>watchful observation is a legitimate plan<\/strong>, not a delay tactic: there is no benefit in an expensive procedure for a stone that would have left by itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The practical measure while you wait is fluid. <a href=\"https:\/\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/it\/2020\/06\/19\/8-buone-abitudini-per-prevenire-la-formazione-di-calcoli-renali\/\">Drinking more than 2.5 litres of still water a day<\/a> produces enough urine to help move a small stone along. And since the stone that formed once tends to be followed by another, this is also the point at which <a href=\"https:\/\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/it\/2020\/11\/06\/perche-si-formano-i-calcoli-renali\/\">looking at why it formed<\/a> is worth the effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When a stone stops being a wait-and-see problem<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Watchful waiting assumes you stay well while you wait. <strong>Seek urgent medical care rather than waiting if you develop a fever alongside stone pain<\/strong> \u2014 fever with an obstructing stone means an infected, blocked kidney, which is a genuine emergency and needs drainage promptly, not antibiotics alone. The same applies if the pain is severe and unrelieved, if you are vomiting and unable to keep fluids down, or if you stop passing urine altogether.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Short of that, treatment is considered when the stone is larger than 4\u20136 mm and unlikely to pass, when it obstructs the flow, when the pain keeps recurring, or when you have only one working kidney. <a href=\"https:\/\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/it\/2020\/05\/02\/eswl-soarawee-urologo-tailandese\/\">Shockwave lithotripsy<\/a> e <a href=\"https:\/\/drsoaraweeurology.com\/it\/2020\/06\/26\/laser-a-olmio-per-calcoli-renali\/\">chirurgia laser dei calcoli<\/a> are the two routes then, chosen on the stone&#8217;s size, position and hardness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The message worth taking away is that a stone on a checkup report is a finding, not a verdict. It deserves a proper look \u2014 sometimes to confirm it is really there, usually to measure it, and often to conclude that nothing needs doing at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If a kidney stone has been found in your health checkup and you would like a proper urological evaluation, Dr. Soarawee Weerasopone offers specialist consultations at Bangkok Hospital Headquarters. <a href=\"\/it\/Prenota una consulenza\/\">Prenota una consulenza<\/a>. \u00c8 possibile fissare un appuntamento presso l'Ospedale Samitivej Sriracha chiamando il reparto di urologia al numero <a href=\"tel:0880221445\">088-022-1445<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Frequently Asked Questions about Kidney Stone Treatment<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"schema-faq wp-block-yoast-faq-block\"><div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-1\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Does every kidney stone need to be treated or removed?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">No. Small kidney stones, particularly those 4 mm or smaller, have a good chance of passing on their own through the urinary tract without requiring intervention. Watchful waiting with increased fluid intake is the standard approach for small asymptomatic stones. Treatment is considered when stones are large, cause significant pain, block urine flow, or are associated with infection.<\/p><\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-2\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Is ultrasound accurate enough to diagnose kidney stones?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Ultrasound is a useful screening tool but has limitations for kidney stone detection. Its accuracy for detecting small stones is only around 45%, and it can produce false positive results by misidentifying calcified blood vessels or parenchymal calcifications as stones. A CT scan without contrast is the gold standard investigation, offering up to 95% accuracy and the ability to detect stones as small as 1.25 mm.<\/p><\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-3\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Is CT scan radiation dangerous for kidney stone evaluation?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">No. Modern CT protocols for kidney stone evaluation use an ultra-low radiation dose &#8211; far below any harmful level. The radiation exposure is minimal and considered safe for most patients. The diagnostic benefit of accurately identifying and sizing a stone far outweighs the negligible radiation risk, especially when compared to the consequences of missing or mismanaging a kidney stone.<\/p><\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-4\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">Can I pass a kidney stone naturally at home?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Yes, stones 4 mm or smaller have a reasonable chance of passing naturally with adequate hydration. Drinking more than 2.5 liters of still water per day increases urine output, which helps flush stones through the urinary tract. However, even small stones can occasionally cause obstruction or pain, so urological monitoring is advisable during the observation period. Fever alongside stone pain is an emergency and needs urgent assessment rather than waiting.<\/p><\/div> <div class=\"schema-faq-section\" id=\"faq-question-5\"><strong class=\"schema-faq-question\">When should kidney stone treatment be considered?<\/strong> <p class=\"schema-faq-answer\">Kidney stone treatment is recommended when the stone is larger than 4&#8211;6 mm and unlikely to pass spontaneously, causes significant or persistent pain (renal colic), is associated with urinary tract infection or fever, causes urinary obstruction, or when the patient has a solitary kidney. Treatment options include shockwave lithotripsy, ureteroscopy, and percutaneous nephrolithotomy depending on stone size and location.<\/p><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Disclaimer:<\/strong> Questo contenuto \u00e8 stato scritto e revisionato dal Dr. Soarawee Weerasopone, urologo certificato presso la sede centrale del Bangkok Hospital. \u00c8 destinato unicamente a scopi educativi e non costituisce un parere medico. Nessun parere medico, diagnosi o prescrizione viene fornito tramite canali di messaggistica personale. Consultare sempre un professionista sanitario qualificato prima di iniziare qualsiasi trattamento medico.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\n    \"@context\": \"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\n    \"@type\": \"MedicalWebPage\",\n    \"headline\": \"Does Every Kidney Stone Need Treating?\",\n    \"description\": \"Why ultrasound overcalls small kidney stones, why non-contrast CT is the definitive test, why 4 mm decides whether a stone can pass on its own, and the warning signs that make a stone an emergency.\",\n    \"datePublished\": \"2020-08-07\",\n    \"dateModified\": \"2026-08-12\",\n    \"inLanguage\": \"en\",\n    \"author\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Physician\",\n        \"name\": \"Dr. Soarawee Weerasopone\",\n        \"medicalSpecialty\": \"Urology\",\n        \"url\": \"https:\\\/\\\/drsoaraweeurology.com\\\/\"\n    },\n    \"reviewedBy\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Physician\",\n        \"name\": \"Dr. Soarawee Weerasopone\",\n        \"medicalSpecialty\": \"Urology\"\n    },\n    \"about\": {\n        \"@type\": \"MedicalCondition\",\n        \"name\": \"Kidney Stone\",\n        \"alternateName\": \"Nephrolithiasis\"\n    }\n}<\/script>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A health checkup reports a kidney stone, and the immediate assumption is that it has to come out. Dr. Soarawee Weerasopone, urologist at Bangkok Hospital, explains why ultrasound often overcalls stones, why 4 mm is the number that matters, and when watching is the right answer.<\/p>","protected":false},"author":185281453,"featured_media":10063,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"Not every kidney stone needs treating. Why ultrasound is only a screening tool with about 45% accuracy for small stones, why 4 mm decides whether a stone can pass, and the warning signs that make a stone urgent. 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