Objective  To compare the effect of color Doppler ultrasound and X-ray in diagnosis of renal calculi complicated with ureteral calculi.

  Methods  Seventy renal calculi cases complicated with ureteral calculi were selected, and were performed Color Doppler ultrasonography and X-ray examination, separately before operation. The number, size, location of calculi and the detection of accompanying lesions were observed.

  Results  According to the results of operation, the accuracy rates of color Doppler ultrasound and X-ray in the diagnosis of calculi were 97.14% and 98.57%, respectively, but no significant difference between two methods were found (P > 0.05). The accuracy rates of X-ray in the diagnosis of calculi, locations in middle ureteral calculi and lower ureteral calculi were 88.57%, 88.24%, 89.29%, respectively, which were higher than 67.14%, 52.94% and 57.14%, respectively, of the color Doppler (P < 0.05). In 59 cases with hydronephrosis, the detection rate of color Doppler ultrasound was 88.14, which was higher than 67.80%of X-ray (P < 0.05).

  Conclusion  Both color Doppler ultrasonography and X-ray are effective imaging methods in the diagnosis of renal calculi combined with ureteral calculi. Color Doppler ultrasonography is superior to X-ray in the diagnosis of renal calculi accompanied by pathological changes, but it is inferior to X-ray in the diagnosis of size and location of calculi.