title: The impact of sonography on the diagnosis of scrotal disorders.
abstract: 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.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, University of Virginia Health Sciences Center, Charlottesville, USA.
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Older
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Omary
authors.forename: L R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Watson
mesh_terms: 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