The impact of sonography on the diagnosis of scrotal disorders.
OBJECTIVE
We assessed the impact of ultrasound on the referring urologist diagnosis of scrotal disorders.


METHODS
University urologists (6 attending and 3 resident physicians) in a clinic setting completed questionnaires before and after on 35 patients with scrotal symptoms. The physicians were requested to estimate the probability (0 to 100%) of their most likely diagnosis before and after receiving the sonographic information. We calculated the mean change in diagnostic percentage confidence and also the proportion of patients whose pre-sonographic diagnosis was changed.


RESULTS
Scrotal ultrasound changed the initial diagnosis in 11 of 35 patients (32%, 95% confidence interval 19 to 49). The mean percentage gain in diagnostic certainty from ultrasound was 29% (95% confidence interval 20 to 39, p < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Scrotal ultrasound has considerable impact on referring urologist diagnosis of scrotal abnormalities.
Older
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Department of Urology, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville, USA.
Omary
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Watson
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D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012611:Scrotum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014463:Ultrasonography