Varicocele is the most common correctable cause of infertility. Color Doppler Ultrasound (CDUS) has a sensitivity of 97% and specificity of 94% for diagnosing this condition. This study aimed to propose a new pattern of scrotal Doppler for predicting the severity of varicocele. An observational study was conducted from January 2016 to January 2017 on 120 testes units in 60 patients. Scrotal CDUS and semen analysis were done in all participants. Patients were evaluated for reflux pattern, pampiniform venous plexus diameter, and venous reflux time. The ultrasonography parameters and semen analysis data were compared to assess the correlations between the results. The reflux pattern and vein diameters had a significant correlation. Also, a significant correlation was detected between the reflux pattern and reflux time. There was a significant correlation between the reflux pattern and two parameters of semen analysis namely sperm count and its motility. In conclusion, the reflux pattern classification suggested in this study can be used as a useful predictor of varicocele severity and sperm parameters in patients with varicocele.
BACKGROUND:In spite of the advanced imaging methods, MRI and CT-Scan, the role of ultrasonography is still unique in some fields of genitourinary tract diseases.AIM:This study was aimed at assessing this role in the evaluation of male urinary stricture, and comparison with standard retrograde urethrography (SUG).METHODS:This was a cross-sectional study. The patients include those who were suspected of anterior urethral stricture and were introduced assessed with imaging techniques (RUG). The patient underwent ultrasonography too. The results of both methods were compared. RUG was considered as the gold standard for this comparison.RESULT:Ninety-seven patients were studied. The mean age was 46.9 ± 11.7 years (range 21-88 years), in RUG, 22 patients (22.8%) and SUG 23 patients (23.7%) had a stricture, 3 cases with a stricture in RUG had not evidenced of stenosis in SUG. The mean length of urethral stricture in RUG was 12.9 ± 8.1 mm and in SUG was 8.1 ± 7.3 mm. The estimated length in RUG way was significantly higher than SUG way (P=0.025). The sensitivity and specificity in using of SUG were 86.6% and 94.6%, respectively.CONCLUSION:The result of this study showed stricture length measured by ultrasound is shorter than the length measured by RUG and the sensitivity and specificity in using of SUG was 86.6% and 94.6% respectively that due to the advantages it is an acceptable way.
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