Excruciatingly painful, passing kidney stones ranks among the most agonizing experiences one can endure. These captivating images, captured under a scanning electron microscope at Eastfield College in Dallas, offer a closer look at these crystalline formations. Coordinated by Murry Gans in 2012, the images unveil the intricate structures of kidney stones, formed when urine fails to adequately dissolve substances like calcium and uric acid, leading to the formation of sharp, jagged crystals.
The journey of a kidney stone from the kidney to the bladder through the urinary ducts can induce intense discomfort until it is expelled from the body through urination. While factors such as metabolic disorders, genetic predispositions, and dietary habits contribute to their formation, kidney stones vary greatly in size, from those easily passed without pain to larger ones requiring shockwave treatment for fragmentation.