Global testicular infarction in the presence of epididymitis: clinical features, appearances on grayscale, color Doppler, and contrast-enhanced sonography, and histologic correlation

A review of multiparametric ultrasound imaging in the clinical setting: scrotal contents

The innovative techniques in ultrasound have added a new dimension to investigating superficially located areas such as the contents of the scrotal sac. High frequency transducers, improved technology with the addition of elastography, contrast enhanced ultrasound and microvascular imaging has resulted in a further improvement in diagnostic capabilities. The ability to clearly demonstrate the presence or absence of vascularity within the area under investigation adds an additional dimension to operator confidence in establishing the presence of infarction, global or segmental, or the walls and cavity of an abscess in the testis or epididymis. Increased vascularity of a tumor aids the differential diagnosis based on the flow dynamics of the microbubble contrast, benign lesions likely to retain contrast. Elastography has the ability to ascertain the stiffness of tissue, and when used in conjunction with other ultrasound methods adds to the understanding of the likelihood of a malignant abnormality being present. All the different techniques come under the umbrella term 'multiparametric ultrasound', with the application in the scrotal sac detailed in this article.

Multimodal ultrasound diagnosis of epididymo-orchitis with secondary testicular infarction: A case report

We report a case of a 48-year-old man with testicular infarction caused by epididymo-orchitis (EO). Multimodal ultrasound showed extensive necrosis of the testis, and the patient underwent right orchiectomy. Postoperative pathology confirmed extensive necrosis of the testis. After 3 months of follow-up, the examination of scrotal ultrasound showed that the left testis and epididymis had no obvious abnormality.

Multiparametric Ultrasound for Focal Testicular Pathology: A Ten-Year Retrospective Review

Conventional ultrasonography (US), including greyscale imaging and colour Doppler US (CDUS), is pivotal for diagnosing scrotal pathologies, but it has limited specificity. Historically, solid focal testicular abnormalities often led to radical orchidectomy. This retrospective study evaluated the utilisation of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and strain elastography (SE) in investigating intratesticular focal abnormalities. A total of 124 cases were analysed. This study underscored the superior diagnostic capabilities of CEUS in detecting vascular enhancement in all malignant cases, even those with undetectable vascularity by CDUS. It also highlighted the potential of CEUS in identifying distinctive vascular patterns in benign vascular tumours. Definitive confirmation of benignity could be obtained when the absence of enhancement was demonstrated on CEUS. While SE alone offered no distinctive advantage in differentiating between benign and malignant pathologies, we demonstrated that incorporating a combination of CEUS and SE into the evaluation of focal testicular abnormalities could improve diagnostic performance metrics over conventional CDUS. Our findings underscore the role of advanced ultrasound techniques in enhancing the evaluation of focal testicular abnormalities in clinical practice and could aid a shift towards testis-sparing management strategies.

Role and added value of contrast enhanced ultrasound of the painful scrotum in the emergency setting

Emergency imaging of the scrotum is part of routine medical practice. Indications include epididymitis/epididymo-orchitis, testicular torsion, trauma, tumors and infarction. Prompt diagnosis and management are needed to ensure optimal patient outcome. Ultrasound (US) is the initial, and often the only, imaging modality for testicular pathologies. Usually, B-mode and color Doppler US are adequate. In challenging cases, contrast-enhanced US (CEUS) facilitates final diagnosis or increases the examiner's confidence by confirming findings on non-enhanced US. This paper elaborates on the examination technique of CEUS for testicular pathologies, thereby showing its added value over baseline US techniques in the emergency setting.

Epididymo-Orchitis Leading to Global Testicular Infarction in a Pediatric Patient - A Case Report

Epididymo-orchitis (EO) is a common urologic condition that rarely requires surgical intervention. Global testicular infarction is an exceedingly uncommon complication of EO and is thought to occur when severe epididymal edema compresses testicular vessels. We present a rare case of global testicular infarction secondary to EO in a 17-year-old boy. Predicting which cases of EO will progress to testicular ischemia is challenging, as no clear risk factors have been identified. Early recognition of testicular compromise requires a high degree of clinical suspicion and may provide the opportunity for testis-sparing intervention.

Testicular infarction and spontaneous scrotal rupture secondary to acute epididymo-orchitis

Epididymo-orchitis is a common cause of acute unilateral testicular pain. Both infectious or non-infectious causes have been proposed and, rarely, testicular abscess formation and even infarction can occur as a severe complication. We present here a case of acute epididymo-orchitis leading to testicular abscess formation, infarction and spontaneous rupture through the scrotal wall despite appropriate antibiotic treatments. Orchidectomy and partial scrotectomy were performed during surgical exploration for management of the non-viable testis and associated scrotal sinus. Clinical vigilance is important to prevent this complication by close clinical follow up with ultrasonography and even early surgical decompression to prevent testicular loss.

Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in Children: Implementation and Key Diagnostic Applications

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) utilization is expanding rapidly, particularly in children, in whom the modality offers important advantages of dynamic evaluation of the vasculature, portability, lack of ionizing radiation, and lack of need for sedation. Accumulating data establish an excellent safety profile of ultrasound contrast agents in children. Although only FDA-approved for IV use in children for characterizing focal liver lesions and for use during echocardiography, growing off-label applications are expanding the diagnostic potential of ultrasound. Focal liver lesion evaluation is the most common use of CEUS, and the American College of Radiology Pediatric LI-RADS Working Group recommends including CEUS for evaluation of a newly discovered focal liver lesion in many circumstances. Data also support the role of CEUS in hemodynamically stable children with blunt abdominal trauma, and CEUS is becoming a potential alternative to CT in this setting. Additional potential applications that require further study include evaluation of pathology in the lung, spleen, brain, pancreas, bowel, kidney, female pelvis, and scrotum. This review explores the implementation of CEUS in children, describing basic principles of ultrasound contrast agents and CEUS technique and summarizing current and potential IV diagnostic applications based on pediatric-specific supporting evidence.

Vascularity of Intra-testicular Lesions: Inter-observer Variation in the Assessment of Non-neoplastic Versus Neoplastic Abnormalities After Vascular Enhancement With Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound

The aim of this study is to assess the additional benefit of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) over conventional ultrasonography (US) in identifying intra-testicular abnormalities among observers of different experiences. In this study, 91 focal testicular lesions (46 neoplastic, 45 non-neoplastic) imaged with gray-scale US/Doppler US and CEUS were classified using a 5-point scale. Three experienced and four inexperienced observers rated each lesion using gray-scale/color Doppler US alone and then with the addition of CEUS. Improved diagnostic specificity and accuracy with the addition of CEUS was observed for both experienced (specificity: 71.1% vs. 59.3%, p = 0.005; accuracy: 83.5% vs. 76.9%, p = 0.003) and inexperienced observers (specificity: 75.6% vs. 51.7%, p = 0.005; accuracy: 80.2% vs. 72.0%, p < 0.001). Significant inter-observer variability between the experienced and inexperienced observers when assessing conventional US alone was eliminated with the addition of CEUS. CEUS improves diagnostic accuracy of focal intra-testicular lesions for both experienced and inexperienced observers and reduces inter-observer variability in inexperienced operators.

Case report on secondary testicular necrosis due to fulminant epididymitis: ultrasonographic evaluation and diagnosis

BACKGROUND

Scrotal pain is a common complaint in the clinical practice, with many underlying causes. Infectious causes, like epididymitis, are frequently encountered in the work-up of scrotal pain. The presentation of epididymitis is mostly mild, yet major complications can occur.

CASE PRESENTATION

We present a 35-year-old male presenting with scrotal pain and swelling of the testicle. Epididymitis with testicular necrosis was diagnosed using repeated doppler ultrasonography measurements. An orchiectomy was performed which showed a hemorrhagic process with affected spermatic cord. Funiculitis together with epididymal swelling can impede testicular blood flow, with testicular necrosis possibly resulting in orchiectomy. This is the first case that proved funiculitis to co-exist in loss of colour doppler on pathological evaluation.

CONCLUSIONS

In order to reduce major complications, medical therapy should be promptly initiated when there is a suspicion of epididymitis.

Overview of ultrasound applications for assessing scrotal disorders

The scrotum may be affected by a plethora of different disorders such as infections, vasculopathies, trauma, and manifestations of primary and secondary malignant masses. In addition to the patient's medical history and clinical examination, ultrasound represents the imaging modality of choice to assess scrotal disorders. Time-consuming contrast-enhanced ultrasound and elastography can provide further information to distinguish between benign and malignant testicular mass lesions. The following invited Special Communication gives a comprehensive overview of differential diagnoses of the scrotum and their corresponding sonomorphologic correlates based on representative cases of the Interdisciplinary Ultrasound Center of the University Hospital Munich.

The role of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the evaluation of scrotal trauma: a review

Testicular trauma is common, usually trivial and rarely requires hospital attendance, but if it does, then imaging becomes essential as scrotal assessment may be difficult due to pain and/or scrotal disruption. Ultrasound (US) assumes a crucial role as other cross-sectional modalities have a limited use in the acute presentation. Despite the acceptable accuracy of conventional US techniques, there are limitations which hinder a thorough evaluation, critically the assessment of tissue viability, crucial for clinical management and prognosis. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has been shown to offer improved flow visualisation and tissue perfusion compared with conventional Doppler techniques. CEUS can accurately and confidently demonstrate the viability of testicular parenchyma, delineate fracture lines and haematomas and guide treatment for testis-sparing surgery or orchidectomy. The purpose of this review is to present the literature, familiarise physicians with the principles of CEUS and findings of scrotal trauma and illustrate the main abnormalities through characteristic and educative cases.

Complete testicular infarction secondary to epididymoorchitis and pyocele

Epididymoorchitis is a relatively common urologic condition involving the scrotum which presents with unilateral pain and swelling. It is typically treated with antibiotics but can progress to complications such as scrotal pyocele. Global testicular infarction is an exceedingly rare but devastating complication of epididymoorchitis. Grey scale and color Doppler ultrasound demonstrate testicular hypovascularity with subsequent hypoechoic changes of the testicular parenchyma. Scrotal MRI shows T2 hyperintense changes through the testicle with nonenhancement of the testicular parenchyma post contrast, consistent with infarction. The cause of global infarction in epididymitis is uncertain but may be due to mixed arterial and venous insufficiency. This case illustrates a 41-year-old male that developed acute left testicular pain. Initial ultrasound showed an enlarged left testicle with hyperemia. The patient's symptoms progressed and a scrotal MRI demonstrated a lack of left testicular enhancement consistent with global infarction, as well as an adjacent pyocele.

Acute Epididymo-orchitis-Related Global Testicular Infarction: Clinical and Ultrasound Findings With an Emphasis on the Juxta-epididymal String-of-Bead Sign

Acute epididymo-orchitis (AEO)-related global testicular infarction (GTI) is rare. We report herein the clinical and ultrasound findings of 6 patients with AEO-related GTI. Seventeen patients with torsion-related GTI were also reviewed and compared. The echotexture of AEO-related GTI ranged from mildly inhomogeneous to diffuse heteroechoic, depending on the severity of testicular necrotic changes. All of the patients showed a juxta-epididymal string-of-bead pattern on color Doppler ultrasound, which was ascribed to patent arteries (5/6, 87%) and collateral vessels (1/6, 13%) in the tunica albuginea. There were no significant differences in age, laterality, leukocyte count, testicular volume ratio (infarcted/normal), frequencies of heteroechoic testicular parenchyma, scrotal skin thickening, and hydrocele between the 2 groups. However, the left testis was predominantly affected in both groups. Compared with torsion-related GTI, patients with AEO-related GTI had significantly longer duration from scrotal pain onset to surgery (13.5 ± 5.2 vs 2.6 ± 2.0 days, P < 0.001), a higher level of serum C-reactive protein (110.0 ± 82.0 vs 41.2 ± 35.9 mg/dL, P = 0.013), a higher frequency of the juxta-epididymal string-of-bead sign (100% vs 12%, P < 0.001), and a lower frequency of the whirlpool/knot sign (0% vs 88%, P = 0.002). Although the testis in AEO-related GTI may appear variable from mildly to extensively heteroechoic on gray-scale ultrasound, this unusual disease can be characterized by an avascular testis with a juxta-epididymal string-of-bead sign on color Doppler ultrasound.

Segmental Testicular Infarction, an Underdiagnosed Entity: Case Report with Histopathologic Correlation and Review of the Diagnostic Features

A 30-year-old male presented with a 1-day history of left scrotal pain and a tender left testicle and epididymis on physical exam. Scrotal ultrasound showed an avascular, heterogeneous, hypoechoic lesion in the superior left testis suggestive of infarction or neoplasm. The patient was managed conservatively; however, his pain continued and follow-up ultrasound 6 days later showed interval increase in the size of the mass. Left radical orchiectomy was done and pathology result showed segmental infarction of the left testis.

Multiparametric Sonography of Testicular Hematomas: Features on Grayscale, Color Doppler, and Contrast-Enhanced Sonography and Strain Elastography

We investigated the appearances of intratesticular hematomas on multiparametric sonography combining grayscale, color Doppler, and contrast-enhanced sonography and strain elastography. Over a 3-year period, 17 hematomas in 8 patients were analyzed. Blunt trauma (n = 7) and surgery (n = 1) were preceding events. Grayscale sonography showed well-defined oval or round predominantly hypoechoic and heterogeneous, peripherally (n = 13) or centrally (n = 4) located lesions. Three showed contrast enhancement of septations, and 4 showed peripheral lesion rim enhancement. On strain elastography, the mean strain ratio was 1.19 (range, 0.41-2.36), and elasticity score were 3 or lower (n = 13) and 5 (n = 4). Multiparametric sonography shows nonenhancement with contrast and predominantly "soft" elastographic properties and aids in the interpretation of the benign nature of intratesticular hematomas.

Growing indications for CEUS: The kidney, testis, lymph nodes, thyroid, prostate, and small bowel

Contrast enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) is increasingly used for non-hepatic applications as well, so that nearly all organs have been investigated. Among them, there is a growing clinical use for a variety of pathologies of the kidney, testis, and small bowel. The possibility to differentiate benign from malignant nodes in cancer patients has been investigated. A new application is in the detection of sentinel nodes after intradermal microbubble injection. The need to distinguish thyroid nodules eligible for fine needle aspiration cytology has led to the use of CEUS in thyroid examinations as well. The potential of CEUS for prostate cancer detection has been extensively investigated, with encouraging initial results. Early promise, however, has not been fulfilled. New perspective regards evaluation of the extent of prostate tissue devascularization following ablative treatments.

Testicular loss following bacterial epididymo-orchitis: Case report and literature review

Epididymo-orchitis rarely leads to abscess formation and global testicular infarction/loss, particularly in the setting of appropriate antibiotic therapy. The imaging modality used when monitoring for testicular ischemia is ultrasonography. However, as described in the literature, testicular pathology may not be evident on routine imaging. We describe two cases of recurrent bacterial epididymo-orchitis, complicated by testicular abscess resulting in testicular infarction. This rare, nevertheless significant, complication occurred in both patients despite receiving appropriate extended antibiotic therapy. Both cases demonstrate the limitations of ultrasonography alone, suggesting that a high level of clinical suspicion must be maintained when ultrasound evaluation proves to be inconsistent with the clinical presentation. These cases demonstrate the importance of monitoring for warning signs of ischemia, as early recognition may lead to reperfusion interventions and ultimately testicular salvage.

Multidrug resistant epididymitis progressing to testicular infarct and orchiectomy

Global testicular infarction is a rare sequela of infectious epididymitis, with few reports in the urologic literature since the introduction of fluoroquinolones in the late 1980s. Ischemia occurs secondary to inflammation and edema of the spermatic cord with compression of arterial flow. We report a case of multidrug resistant epididymitis following prostate biopsy that progressed to global testicular infarction requiring orchiectomy. This case highlights the fact that epididymitis does not always follow an indolent pathway to resolution. Progression of pain should prompt early imaging and intervention. It further highlights the potential urologic consequences of the rising prevalence of multidrug resistant bowel flora in the United States, which will increasingly influence the management of presumed uncomplicated epididymitis, whether being primary or postprocedural.

A review of ultrasound imaging in scrotal emergencies

Scrotal emergencies represent a small proportion of admissions to the emergency department; however, the intimate nature and potential for serious outcome often cause great anxiety. Rapid assessment is required to exclude fertility-threatening conditions and expedite surgical management. Ultrasound is an essential tool in acute scrotal assessment as it allows rapid, radiation-free, high-resolution imaging and, importantly, assessment of vascularity with colour Doppler imaging. In the presentation of the acute scrotum, the "on-call" practitioner will frequently be asked to exclude pathology requiring surgical management, in particular torsion of the spermatic cord. To provide an accurate evaluation the individual is required to have an understanding of scrotal anatomy, sonographic technique and recognition of pathology. This review article will familiarise the reader with the sonographic findings of common acute scrotal pathology.