What is the medical term for kidney stones?

• A. Nephrolithiasis
• B. Urolithiasis
• C. Lithiasis
• D. Nephrocalcinosis

Answer: (A)

In medical terms, kidney stones are called nephrolithiasis. The prefix nephro- means kidney, lith- means stone, and the suffix -iasis denotes a condition or presence. So nephrolithiasis directly describes stones in the kidney. Urolithiasis is broader, referring to stones anywhere in the urinary tract. Lithiasis is a general term for stone formation without specifying location. Nephrocalcinosis is calcification within kidney tissue, not discrete stones. Therefore, nephrolithiasis is the precise term for kidney stones.