Suspected testicular torsion and ischemia: evaluation with color Doppler sonography

Color Doppler sonography was performed in 32 patients with a painful scrotum in whom testicular ischemia from torsion or postherniorrhaphy was clinically suspected. Surgical correlation was available in 15 patients, and scintigraphic correlation was available in 17 patients. Seven of the 32 patients were diagnosed as having testicular ischemia from torsion. Color Doppler flow imaging demonstrated a lack of intratesticular flow in six of the seven testes with torsion and relatively normal intratesticular flow in one of the patients with acute torsion. Normal or increased intratesticular flow was demonstrated by color Doppler in all 57 of the nonischemic testes. Using the single criterion of presence or absence of identifiable intratesticular flow, the authors found that color Doppler was 86% sensitive, 100% specific, and 97% accurate in the diagnosis of torsion and ischemia in the painful scrotum. Color Doppler sonography is an accurate, noninvasive means of rapidly assessing perfusion of the testis in the painful scrotum.     

Color Doppler sonography of normal and torsed testicular appendages in children

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to determine the size and appearance of normal and torsed testicular appendages on color Doppler sonography. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Thirty-three patients with acute scrotal pain underwent gray-scale and color Doppler sonography and subsequent surgery. Twenty-two patients had torsion of the appendix testis, six had epididymitis, three had torsion of the testis, and two had torsion of the appendix epididymidis. The testicular appendages of 30 patients and the testes of three were excised and sent to the laboratory for histopathologic examination. RESULTS: A testicular appendage was identified on color Doppler sonography in 23 patients (21 patients with torsed appendages and two patients with epididymitis). The torsed appendixes testis measured from 4.1 to 16.3 mm, and the normal appendixes in the two patients with epididymitis measured 4.1 and 5.6 mm. With the visualization of an appendix larger than 5.6 mm as the sonographic diagnostic criterion for torsion of a testicular appendage, sensitivity was 68.2% (95% confidence interval (CI), 45.1-85.3%), and specificity was 100% (CI, 74.7-100%). CONCLUSION. The identification of a testicular appendage larger than 5.6 mm is suggestive of torsion. Therefore, depending on the patients' clinical conditions, these cases can be treated conservatively when an appendage larger than 5.6 mm is identified.     

P-31 MR spectroscopy in assessing testicular torsion: rat model

To develop phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy as an indicator of testicular viability, unilateral 720 degrees torsion of the spermatic cord was performed in 11 Copenhagen rats. In six of 11 rats, detorsion was done 1 hour later. The authors used special surface coils to obtain P-31 MR spectra (at 2 T) from both tests, then correlated MR findings with those from gross morphologic and histologic examination. In the normal testis, P-31 MR spectra had prominent phosphomonoester (PME) and adenosinetriphosphate (ATP) peaks. Testicular torsion dramatically reduced ATP to almost undetectable levels and significantly decreased the PME/Pi at 1 hour (1.18 +/- 0.22) in nine rats. In two rats, however, no spectral changes were present. Of the six rats in which detorsion was performed, three showed immediate regeneration of ATP and a normal PME/Pi (2.87 +/- 0.06) 3 hours later; testicles in the other three rats did not recover (PME/Pi = 0.72 +/- 0.01). Because gross morphologic observations and histologic findings prior to detorsion were unable to differentiate viable from nonviable tests, these preliminary data suggest P-31 MR spectroscopy may help clinicians diagnose testicular torsion and assess testicular viability.     

The normal and abnormal scrotum in children: evaluation with color Doppler sonography.

The use of color Doppler sonography to evaluate the symptomatic testes in children with scrotal pain or swelling was prospectively studied with a fourth-generation color sonographic unit with a 7-MHz linear transducer. The 32 patients were 1 day to 18 years old (mean age, 8.6 years). Results were correlated with scintigraphic findings in 23 patients, with the final diagnosis established by surgery in 12 patients, and with clinical follow-up in all patients. Eight cases of testicular torsion, including two of acute torsion and six of late torsion, were correctly detected by color Doppler sonography and confirmed surgically. In the remaining patients, perfusion of the testis was correctly detected by color Doppler examination. The final diagnoses in these patients included torsion of the appendix testis (15 patients), epididymitis (five patients), epididymo-orchitis (one patient), yolk sac tumor of the testis (one patient), hydrocele (one patient), and local reaction to an insect bite (one patient). The ability to detect blood flow in the normal contralateral testis was also evaluated in 28 patients. Blood flow was demonstrated in normal testes larger than 1 cm3. Detection of flow in the very small normal prepubertal testis was often difficult, and no flow was identified in one testis. Flow was identified in central arteries in only six of 13 testes smaller than 1 cm3. We conclude that color Doppler sonography is helpful in the initial evaluation of pediatric testes, providing accurate evaluation of the involved hemi-scrotum in our patients and also providing the benefit of both structural and flow information. Until our sensitivity to low-velocity flow improves, we would not suggest the exclusive use of color Doppler sonography in the evaluation of testicular perfusion in the prepubertal patient. We advocate the addition of testicular scintigraphy to corroborate the presence of testicular perfusion when flow in intratesticular arteries cannot be established with certainty by color Doppler sonography.     

Prenatal testicular torsion: sonographic appearance in the newborn infant

The prenatal diagnosis of spermatic cord torsion is often really difficult and the diagnosis is usually retrospective. Herein, we report a case of a male newborn baby who presented at delivery with an enlarged, swollen and tender scrotum. US showed an enlarged right testis, with dishomogeneous texture, fluid collection between the testis and the tunica vaginalis and large hydrocele. Differential diagnosis included hydrocele complicated by infection or hemorrhage, testicular tumor or postnatal testicular torsion. Color and power Doppler did not reveal any flow signal, and the diagnosis of antenatal torsion with initial necrosis was made. The role of color Doppler US is emphasized in directing the patient to emergency surgical exploration, when testicular salvage may be possible. Delayed surgical treatment can be proposed, when the diagnosis of antenatal torsion has a high degree of certainty. However, the Doppler examination of a newborn baby's testis is a very difficult challenge even for an experienced radiologist. Electronic Publication     

Intratesticular varicocele: evaluation using conventional and Doppler sonography.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to describe the conventional and Doppler sonographic appearances of intratesticular varicoceles and to determine their occurrence. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: One thousand forty men with various testicular problems were examined using conventional and Doppler sonography, and the incidence of intratesticular varicocele and other conditions was recorded. Eighteen patients with intratesticular varicoceles were further examined, allowing us to study the various sonographic and Doppler parameters of this rare entity. RESULTS: Intratesticular varicocele was identified in 18 (1.7%) patients. The condition was bilateral in seven patients and unilateral in 11. Of 25 testes involved, 12 (48%) were right-sided and 14 (56%) were isolated without any ipsilateral extratesticular varicocele. The shape of the intratesticular varicocele was tubular in 21 cases and oval in five; one patient had both oval and tubular varicoceles. Diameters ranged from 2 to 8 mm (mean, 3.1 mm). Mean venous flow velocity was 2.8 cm/sec and had an inverse relationship to the diameter of the intratesticular varicocele. CONCLUSION: Intratesticular varicocele is seen in fewer than 2% of the symptomatic population. The condition has a characteristic sonographic appearance of dilated tubular intratesticular veins with a proximity to the mediastinum testis. Variations from previously published reports included presentation with an oval shape, more frequent bilateral occurrence, greater number of isolated right-sided intratesticular varicoceles, and fewer associations with an extratesticular varicocele.     

Testicular microlithiasis: what is its association with testicular cancer?

PURPOSE: To determine the prevalence of testicular microlithiasis in patients who were referred for scrotal ultrasonography (US) at a tertiary care cancer center and to evaluate the association between microlithiasis and cancer. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Testicular sonograms obtained in 528 men were retrospectively reviewed to identify patients with US findings suggestive of microlithiasis, intratesticular masses, and intratesticular heterogeneous changes. The association of US findings with medical records and with histopathologic findings that were available in 95 patients was evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed to determine the relationship of testicular cancer, intratesticular mass, and microlithiasis. RESULTS: Forty-eight (9%) of the 528 patients had microlithiasis; 13 of these (27%) had testicular cancers. Of the 480 patients without microlithiasis, 38 (8%) had testicular cancer. Ninety patients had an intratesticular mass, of whom 23 (26%) had microlithiasis. Forty-three (12 with microlithiasis) patients with a mass had testicular cancer, 43 (10 with microlithiasis) had benign findings or nontesticular malignant histopathologic findings, and four (one with microlithiasis) had no pathologic findings. CONCLUSION: Intratesticular microlithiasis is highly associated with confirmed testicular cancer, as well as with US evidence of testicular mass.     

Acute testicular torsion in children: the role of sonography in the diagnostic workup

Acute testicular torsion in children is an emergency and has to be diagnosed urgently. D oppler sonography is increasingly used in imaging the acute scrotum. Nevertheless, in uncertain cases, surgical exploration is required. In this study, we attempted to define the role of Doppler sonography in the diagnostic workup of the acutely painful scrotum. All patients admitted between 1999 and 2005 with acute scrotal pain were included. After clinical assessment, patients were imaged by Doppler sonography with a ‘‘high-end’’ instrument. In cases of absent arterial perfusion of the testis in Doppler sonography, surgical exploration was carried out. Patients with unaffected perfusion were followed clinically by ultrasound for up to 2 years. Sixty-one infants and children aged 1 day to 17 years (median: 7.9 years) were included. In 14 cases, sonography demonstrated absent central perfusion, with abnormal parenchymal echogenicity in six. Absence of venous blood flow together with reduction of central arterial perfusion was found in one infant. In these 15 patients, surgical exploration confirmed testicular torsion. Among the other 46 patients, we found four cases with increased testicular perfusion and 27 with increased perfusion of the epididymis. In one infant, a testicular tumour was found sonographically, and orchiectomy confirmed diagnosis of a teratoma. Follow-up examinations of the conservatively treated patients showed good clinical outcome with physiologic central perfusion as well as normal echogenic pattern of both testes. No case of testicular torsion was missed. By means of Doppler sonography, an unequivocal statement regarding testicular perfusion was possible in all cases. The initial Doppler diagnosis was confirmed by operative evaluation and follow-up ultrasound. Testicular torsion can therefore be excluded by correctly performed ultrasound with modern equipment. Patrick Gunther and Jens-Peter Schenk contributed equally to this work     

Color Doppler ultrasound of the normal testis

Color Doppler ultrasound with point spectral analysis was performed on 30 testes of 15 asymptomatic volunteers. Intratesticular arteries and testicular capsular arteries were imaged in all 30 cases. Waveforms from these vessels were similar and consistently showed a low-impedance pattern with high levels of diastolic flow. This reflects the low vascular resistance of the testis. Supratesticular arteries were also identified in all 30 cases. In addition to the low-impedance-type waveforms from the testicular artery, waveforms obtained in the supratesticular region also originated from the deferential and/or cremasteric arteries. This resulted in some waveforms with high-impedance patterns, reflecting the high vascular resistance of the epididymis and peritesticular tissues. We believe that color Doppler ultrasound is capable of reliably showing the normal testicular arterial anatomy by imaging intraarterial blood flow. Knowledge of the normal color Doppler appearance and waveform characteristics of the testicular artery should aid in diagnosing scrotal conditions that alter blood flow.     

Abnormal testis at US in patients after orchiectomy for testicular neoplasm

PURPOSE: To categorize ultrasonographic (US) intratesticular abnormalities in patients after orchiectomy for testicular neoplasm and to correlate US, clinical, and histopathologic findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Two hundred thirty-five testicular US examinations were performed in 171 patients who previously underwent orchiectomy for testicular neoplasm. Abnormalities were identified in 28 patients. The abnormalities were described as masses, heterogeneous changes, or macrocalcification. US findings were correlated with histopathologic findings in specimens obtained at surgery in 18 patients; follow-up to determine clinical outcome was obtained from the review of medical records in the remaining 10 patients. RESULTS: Testicular US revealed intratesticular mass in 15, heterogeneous changes in 11, and macrocalcification in two patients. Eighteen patients had histopathologic correlation; 13 had testicular cancer. At US, 10 of the 15 (67%) patients with a mass and only three of the 11 (27%) with heterogeneous changes had cancer. All 10 patients without surgical correlation had clinical follow-up of 2(1/2)-7 years (mean, 3.95 years), with no evidence of disease. CONCLUSION: Intratesticular mass always is a concern, and heterogeneous changes are less worrisome, but in all patients, rigorous follow-up is recommended to rule out malignancy.     

彩色多普勒超声在小儿睾丸扭转诊断中的价值

目的探讨彩色多普勒超声对小儿睾丸扭转的诊断价值。方法对44例临床疑诊睾丸扭转男孩(年龄1岁～15岁,平均8岁)首先用二维超声显示双侧睾丸附睾形态、结构及内部回声,再用彩色多普勒观察血流情况,所有病例经手术证实。结果44例中的41例睾丸扭转患者患侧睾丸血流减少或消失。结论彩色多普勒诊断睾丸扭转有很高的特异性,简便无创,应作为诊断睾丸扭转的首选方法。     

One-dose technetium-99m pertechnetate imaging in acute testicular torsion followed by manual detorsion

The role of technetium-99m pertechnetate imaging in acute testicular torsion is well appreciated. Manual testicular detorsion under local anesthesia may be performed in the nuclear medicine clinic by the urology service immediately following initial diagnostic scintigraphy. Following manual testicular detorsion, continued images of the testes are obtained up to 30 minutes without having to reinject the patient with technetium-99m pertechnetate. Reperfusion of the affected testicle will be dramatically noted if the manual detorsion is successful. Four cases are presented to illustrate this.     

Imaging of the acute scrotum

The scrotum is a superficial structure and clinical examination is frequently not enough for making a specific diagnosis. In acute scrotal pain US can confirm the presumptive clinical diagnosis and provide additional relevant information. In testicular torsion, color-Doppler imaging has a central role since it has become possible to identify it at early stage by showing absence of perfusion in the affected testis before any gray-scale abnormality. Scintigraphy remains a satisfactory alternative in evaluating testicular torsion and should be used when color Doppler is inadequate, raising doubts about the suspected torsion. Diagnosis of torsion of testicular appendages is particularly difficult. Ischemic infarction shows a characteristic pattern at gray-scale and color-Doppler imaging, whereas hemorrhagic ischemia may require MRI. Inflammatory diseases of the scrotum can be easily investigated by echo color Doppler and conventional radiography, and CT can be particularly useful in the detection of gas bubbles. In scrotal trauma, scrotal hematoma, hematocele, intratesticular hematoma, and testicular rupture can be identified using gray-scale US with very good reliability. Magnetic resonance imaging is indicated when a small tear of tunica albuginea is suspected but not visualized on US. Received: 3 May 2000/Accepted: 8 June 2000     

Pulse-inversion US imaging of testicular ischemia: quantitative and qualitative analyses in a rabbit model

PURPOSE: To quantitatively and qualitatively assess perfusion with pulse-inversion (PI) ultrasonography (US) in rabbit model of acute testicular ischemia. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Institutional animal care committee approval was obtained. After 35 rabbits underwent unilateral spermatic cord occlusion, testicular Doppler US and contrast material-enhanced PI imaging were performed. Enhancement data yielded perfusion measurements including mean value during the first 10 seconds, mean value over entire recorded replenishment curve, and curve slope during the first 5 seconds. Calculated perfusion ratios were compared with radiolabeled microsphere-derived perfusion ratios. Two readers assessed testicular perfusion as none, possible, or definite and relative perfusion as greater to the right testis than to the left, greater to the left testis than to the right, or as equal to both testes. With kappa statistics, interobserver agreement for all imaging methods was determined. Association between qualitative perfusion categories and radiolabeled microsphere-based perfusion measurements was assessed. Quantitative and qualitative determinations of relative perfusion were compared with radiolabeled microsphere-based measurements. RESULTS: Correlations between calculated and radiolabeled microsphere-based perfusion ratios were determined (r=0.49-0.64). Interobserver agreement for presence of perfusion was excellent (kappa=0.76), and that for relative perfusion assessment was good (kappa=0.55). Neither kappa value varied significantly with imaging method. The percentage of times a testis classified as having definite perfusion had greater perfusion as measured with radiolabeled microspheres than a testis classified as having no perfusion or possible perfusion was higher with PI imaging than with Doppler US (85%-98% vs 72%-89%). Identification of the testis with less perfusion was better with quantitative methods than with qualitative assessment of images by the readers (75%-79% vs 34%-60%, P<.004). CONCLUSION: PI imaging, compared with conventional Doppler US methods, provides superior assessment of perfusion in the setting of acute testicular ischemia.     

Testicular torsion revisited

Ultrasound is routinely used for the assessment and diagnosis of testicular torsion. It has proven to be a reliable and necessary diagnostic tool for the urologist. Problems, however, can arise in the form of misdiagnosis when the basic pathophysiology and clinical presentation of testicular torsion are not clearly understood. In this pictorial review, we present the spectrum of the appearance of testes with testicular torsion. This includes both complete and incomplete torsion. The critical use of Doppler and the interpretation of the Doppler findings will be presented. Other abnormalities that can be potentially confused with testicular torsion, including epididymitis and orchitis, will be shown. An approach to assessing the testis that stresses the critical role of both Doppler examination and an understanding of the clinical presentation will be presented. In particular, in incomplete torsion, a Doppler examination will still demonstrate flow to the testis, potentially leading to a missed diagnosis if the clinical presentation is not considered. Examples of normal and abnormal anatomy will be presented.     

Testicular ischemia: color Doppler sonographic findings in five patients

We studied the findings on color Doppler sonography in five men with testicular ischemia (three with acute testicular torsion and two with testicular infarcts after herniorrhaphies). In all five cases, no intratesticular blood flow was identified on the symptomatic side, while normal blood flow was evident on the opposite side. In the three cases of acute torsion, no gray scale sonographic abnormalities were seen, and in the two cases of postoperative infarction, the abnormalities were nonspecific. These findings suggest that color Doppler sonography can be used to show decreased blood flow in cases of acute testicular ischemia and that it may have a role in evaluating patients with suspected testicular torsion.     

睾丸扭转35例临床分析

目的探讨睾丸扭转的诊治方法。方法回顾性分析35例睾丸扭转病例的临床资料。患者年龄14～29岁,发病至确诊时间7h～45d。入院前误诊为急性睾丸附睾炎抗炎治疗23例,误诊时间3～45d,误诊为急性阑尾炎行阑尾切除术1例。结果所有患者均行彩色多普勒超声检查,33例确诊。4例试行手法复位均失败。手术探查示精索鞘膜内型扭转34例,鞘膜外形扭转1例;扭转度数360°～720°。2例行患睾复位和固定术,其余患者均切除患睾。所有患者同时行健侧睾丸固定术。结论对于非外伤性阴囊急症,尤其对青壮年患者,临床医生要考虑到睾丸扭转的可能,有条件者应立刻行CDFI等辅助检查以帮助诊断和鉴别,高度怀疑睾丸扭转者应早期果断行手术探查以最大限度地提高睾丸的挽救率。     

Epididymoorchitis mimicking testicular torsion in Henoch-Schönlein purpura

Henoch-Sch?nlein purpura, although being a systemic vasculitis, mostly involves skin, gastrointestinal system, joints, and kidneys. Testicular involvement is a rare occurrence. A 7-year-old boy with Henoch-Sch?nlein purpura developed acute scrotum and was referred to rule out testicular torsion. On gray-scale ultrasonography, the testes and epididymis were slightly enlarged, and had heterogeneous and hypoechoic echotexture. The scrotal wall was thickened as well. Color and power Doppler ultrasonography revealed increased vascularity in scrotal contents. Testicular torsion was excluded and the diagnosis of testicular involvement of Henoch-Sch?nlein purpura was established. Color Doppler US, together with gray-scale findings, can be useful in the evaluation of Henoch-Sch?nlein purpura with acute scrotum, excluding testicular torsion and preventing unnecessary surgery.     

Does color Doppler sonography improve the clinical assessment of patients with acute scrotum?

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Our experience concerning the use of color Doppler sonography (CDS) in the differential diagnosis of acute scrotum is reported. MATERIAL AND METHODS: From July 2000 to July 2005, 155 patients (median 17.2 years) were admitted with a diagnosis of acute scrotum (unilateral in 150 cases, bilateral in 5). Along with a careful anamnesis and the physical exam, all patients underwent a CDS study of the scrotal content using a sonograph GE Logiq 500 with a multifrequency (7.5-10 MHz) linear probe Small Part. The following CDS parameters were evaluated: intensity of the color-power signal on the testicular parenchyma and on the epididymis; systolic peak velocity (SPV) and telediastolic velocity (TDV) in correspondence of the gonadal hilum. Ultrasound and flowmetry parameters registered on the painful testis were compared with those registered on the healthy controlateral testis. The reduction/absence versus the increase of color-power signal in the parenchyma and the reduction/absence versus the increase of SPV and TDV in the centripetal intratesticular arteries were considered presumptive of testicular torsion versus orchiepididymitis. RESULTS: The results only refer to the 150 patients (300 testis) with acute monolateral scrotum. The clinical picture and the physical exam suggested a torsion of the spermatic cord in 40 cases, a spontaneous de-torsion in 5, an orchiepididymitis in 80, a blunt scrotal trauma in 15, a bulky epididymal cyst or a hydrocele in 4 and a testicular pain of unknown etiology in the remaining 6 cases. Standard US was pathological in 95 patients (63.3%); CDS was pathologic in 70 patients and in 42 of them suggested a testicular torsion. Fifty-three patients underwent surgical exploration: among 42 patients with a presumptive diagnosis of testicular torsion, the diagnosis was confirmed in 22 cases, no anomaly was found in 16 cases and in 4 patients a torsion of testicular appendix was found. The rupture of the tunica albuginea was present in six out of seven patients submitted to surgical exploration for previous blunt trauma and the sonographic diagnosis of hematocele was documented in all cases. The single false-negative diagnosis of testicular torsion in CDS occurred in an 18-month-old child. In presence of funicular torsion, the sensitivity and specificity of physical exam and CDS were 100% versus 95.7% and 86.5% versus 85.3%, respectively; sensitivity and specificity of SPV, TDV and color-Doppler signal on the testis were 100% and 94.8% versus 100% and 90.1% versus 95.7% and 90.8%. In the pre-operative assessment of scrotal trauma, the B-mode US showed a sensitivity and specificity of 100% and 90%, respectively; the color Doppler analysis has not supplied with additional elements for planning a surgical exploration. In presence of orchiepididymitis, the sensitivity and specificity of the physical exam in association to CDS was equal to 100%. In all patients with torsion of the testicular appendix, physical exam and CDS parameters were within normal limits. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS: In our experience CDS is an indispensable imaging modality for the clinical assessment of patients with acute scrotum; however, the informations it can afford are operator-dependent and have to be supported by the history and physical exam of the patient. CDS findings constitute probably an important medico-legal support when the necessity of surgical exploration is excluded; anyway, in presence of a clinical suspicion of testicular torsion, even with an apparently normal CDS, the surgical exploration is recommended.