Is routine scrotal ultrasound advantageous in infertile men?
article
Purpose: We determine the value of routine scrota1 ultrasonography in the evaluation of male
infertility.
Materials and Methods: Scrota1 color Doppler ultrasonography reports of 1,372 infertile men
were reviewed to assess the prevalence of scrotal abnormalities and compared to clinical findings.
Results: The prevalence of scrotal abnormalities was 38%. Testicular tumor was found in 0.5%,
varicocele in 29.7%, testicular cyst in 0.7%, testicular microlithiasis in 0.9%, epididymal cyst in
7.6% and hydrocele in 3.2% of the cases. Overall, 67% of sonography findings were not evident on
palpation, and only 1 of 7 testicular tumors was suspected. Of the varicoceles 60% were not found
on physical examination. The rate of testicular tumors (U200) was higher than that reported for
the general European population (lI20,OOO).
Conclusions: Routine scrotal ultrasound provides valuable information in the diagnostic evaluation
of infertile men and substantially more pathological conditions are detected compared to
clinical palpation. The high prevalence of testicular malignancies underlines the clinical relevance
of routine scrotal ultrasonography in infertile men
infertility.
Materials and Methods: Scrota1 color Doppler ultrasonography reports of 1,372 infertile men
were reviewed to assess the prevalence of scrotal abnormalities and compared to clinical findings.
Results: The prevalence of scrotal abnormalities was 38%. Testicular tumor was found in 0.5%,
varicocele in 29.7%, testicular cyst in 0.7%, testicular microlithiasis in 0.9%, epididymal cyst in
7.6% and hydrocele in 3.2% of the cases. Overall, 67% of sonography findings were not evident on
palpation, and only 1 of 7 testicular tumors was suspected. Of the varicoceles 60% were not found
on physical examination. The rate of testicular tumors (U200) was higher than that reported for
the general European population (lI20,OOO).
Conclusions: Routine scrotal ultrasound provides valuable information in the diagnostic evaluation
of infertile men and substantially more pathological conditions are detected compared to
clinical palpation. The high prevalence of testicular malignancies underlines the clinical relevance
of routine scrotal ultrasonography in infertile men
TNO Identifier
470555
Source
The Journal of Urology, 162(November), pp. 1618-1620.
Pages
1618-1620
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