Ureterolithiasis (Kidney/Ureter Stones) — VA Rating (DC 7508)
Diagnostic Code 7508 · 38 CFR §4.115b
What Is It?
DC 7510 no longer exists. VA rewrote the genitourinary schedule effective November 14, 2021 and removed DC 7510; the successor is not hidden — DC 7508 is now titled "Nephrolithiasis/Ureterolithiasis/Nephrocalcinosis" and names the condition outright. 38 CFR § 3.951(a) governs an existing rating: a readjustment to the rating schedule is not grounds for reducing an evaluation already in effect unless medical evidence establishes that the disability has actually improved. The old code still appears in this page’s web address because the address has not changed; the code the page teaches has. Ureterolithiasis means stones in the ureter, the narrow tube carrying urine from kidney to bladder. Stones form in the kidney and drop into the ureter, where they obstruct flow and produce colicky pain in the flank, lower back and groin. Repeated episodes scar the ureter, invite infection, and over years can reduce function on the affected side.
Rating Criteria
| Rating | Criteria |
|---|---|
| 30% | Two routes reach 30 percent. Either the hydronephrosis criteria at DC 7509 are met at their top compensable level — frequent attacks of colic with infection (pyonephrosis) and impaired kidney function — or there is recurrent stone formation requiring invasive or non-invasive procedures more than two times a year. Severe hydronephrosis is rated instead as renal dysfunction under 38 CFR § 4.115a, which reaches 100 percent. |
| 20% | Frequent attacks of colic requiring catheter drainage (DC 7509). |
| 10% | Only an occasional attack of colic, not infected and not requiring catheter drainage (DC 7509). |
Evidence Needed
CT imaging of the abdomen and pelvis without contrast is the gold standard for documenting stones — it shows the location, size, and number. Ultrasound can also document hydronephrosis. Stone analysis from passed or extracted stones identifies the chemical type, which guides treatment and supports the case for recurrent disease. 24-hour urine collections that show the metabolic pattern (hypercalciuria, hyperoxaluria, hyperuricosuria) document the underlying tendency. Records of every episode — ED visits, urology consultations, lithotripsy procedures, ureteroscopy, stent placements — establish the recurrence pattern, which is what drives the rating tier above 10%. Service records documenting in-service stone episodes, deployment-era dehydration, or related abdominal pain support nexus.
C&P Exam Tips
Bring the CT report, stone analysis reports, and the full procedure history. The rating tiers turn on frequency — number of attacks per year, number of hospital admissions, number of procedures — so be precise rather than general. If you are on a preventive regimen (potassium citrate, allopurinol, thiazide diuretic, dietary restrictions), describe it in detail; that supports the 20% recurrent-stone pathway. Describe pain pattern honestly: the classic flank-to-groin radiation, nausea and vomiting during attacks, blood in the urine, and the functional impact of each episode. If you have a chronic ureteral stent, mention how it affects daily life.
How to File
File VA Form 21-526EZ naming kidney or ureter stones; the rater assigns DC 7508. The criteria are counted, so counts are what you submit: attacks of colic in the past 12 months, whether any required catheter drainage, whether infection was documented, and how many invasive or non-invasive procedures — lithotripsy included — you have had in a year. More than two procedures in a year reaches 30 percent on its own. Attach CT imaging, stone analysis, the procedure history and any 24-hour urine workup. If kidney function is impaired, ask for evaluation as renal dysfunction under § 4.115a, which is GFR-based and reaches 100 percent.
Common Mistakes
Filing without imaging and stone analysis, leaving the rater unable to confirm chronic recurrent disease Underreporting episode frequency by only counting hospital admissions — at-home passing episodes and clinic visits also count Not connecting recurrent stones to deployment-era dehydration or service-connected dietary patterns when those nexus links exist Missing the 20% recurrent-stone pathway by not documenting preventive medication, dietary restrictions, or procedure frequency
Frequently Asked Questions
My decision cites DC 7510 and I cannot find it in the regulation.
DC 7510 was removed effective November 14, 2021 when VA rewrote the genitourinary schedule. The condition did not lose its home — DC 7508 is now titled "Nephrolithiasis/Ureterolithiasis/Nephrocalcinosis." 38 CFR § 3.951(a) provides that a schedule readjustment is not grounds for a reduction unless medical evidence establishes actual improvement, and § 3.951(b) protects an evaluation held continuously for 20 years absent fraud.
Does lithotripsy count as a procedure for the 30 percent row?
Yes. DC 7508 sets 30 percent for recurrent stone formation requiring invasive or non-invasive procedures more than two times a year, and extracorporeal shock wave lithotripsy is the archetypal non-invasive procedure. Count every session in the 12-month period and put the dates in the claim.
What if the stones damaged my kidney?
Then the rating pathway changes. DC 7508 rates as hydronephrosis (DC 7509), and DC 7509 provides that severe hydronephrosis is rated as renal dysfunction under § 4.115a. Since November 2021 renal dysfunction is scored on GFR — 100 percent below 15, 80 percent at 15 to 29, 60 percent at 30 to 44, 30 percent at 45 to 59 — each sustained three consecutive months in the past 12.