Testicular circulatory isolation in man: comparison of radionuclide angiography with Doppler evaluation.
Testicular circulatory isolation (TCI) holds promise as a method to avoid drug-induced infertility in male patients about to receive cancer chemotherapy. Complete exclusion of blood flow to the testicle is essential to the success of this technique. We have compared the hand-held Doppler probe and radionuclide angiography (technetium-99m pertechnetate) as monitors of testicular blood flow in 10 patients subjected to unilateral TCI. When Doppler evaluation indicated that testicular circulation had been interrupted, the radionuclide angiogram uniformly confirmed and quantified this conclusion. These results validate the hand-held Doppler as an appropriate tool for assessing testicular blood flow in patients undergoing TCI.
Farr
S A
SA
Department of Surgery, John Cochran VA Medical Center, St. Louis, Missouri.
Littlefield
J L
JL
Fletcher
J W
JW
Camacho
D W
DW
Johnson
F E
FE
D000368:Aged; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000517:prevention & control; D008297:Male; D015588:Observer Variation; D011875:Radionuclide Angiography / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D012212:Rheology / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013670:Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; D013737:Testis / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D013670:Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m