Elemental analysis as a strong tool for the determination of gallstones composition

Abstract EN

Elemental analysis of C, H, N, S and Ca was used for the classification of gallstones from 94 patients from the Western Region of Saudi Arabia.

Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was used to provide rapid qualitative information about the gallstones composition.

The density, color and surface of the stones were found to give a good indication of stones composition.

From the studies made, it was found that 64.

9 % of the stones analyzed were cholesterol stones, 25.

5 % were mixed stones, which contain cholesterol and some calcium salt.

The rest of the stones were rare stones which contain either calcium carbonate or a mixture of calcium carbonate and ammonium and magnesium salt.