Ultrasounds, CT scans equal at finding kidney stones

YEP.

Low Dose CT scan (radiation) has been used too much for no reason. Ultrasound and MRI need to be tried first.

CT scans have a very high level of radiation and should be avoided except for very serious conditions. The routine scans are a way to rake in the dough, need strict regulations to stop this disgusting practice.

Ultrasounds are just as effective as CT scans at finding kidney stones and should be used as a first step to avoid unnecessary radiation exposure, U.S. researchers say

Half true.

Ultrasounds should be used as a first step as it is cheap, fast and effective in the majority of cases, however, about a small percentage of kidney stones (about 5%) will not show up on an ultrasound. These include uric acid and cystine stones, which are lucent (not easily visible on x-rays or ultrasounds) as they are not comprised on calcium.

Therefore ultrasounds are not "just as effective as CT scans". CT scans are necessarily for detecting certain classes of kidney stones.

The main thrust of the article is correct, that an ultrasound should be the starting point, but the phrasing is misleading.