Transrectal US in male infertility: spectrum of findings and role in patient care.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the findings at transrectal ultrasound (US) in infertile men with low-volume azoospermia and to evaluate its role in patient care.


METHODS
Transrectal US was performed on 276 infertile men with a mean age of 34 years (range, 24-52 years) who had documented low ejaculate volumes and azoospermia.


RESULTS
Of the 276 men, 70 (25.4%) had no anatomic abnormalities. In the remaining patients, abnormalities included congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens in 94 (34.1%) patients; bilateral occlusion of the vas deferens, seminal vesicles, and ejaculatory ducts by calcification or fibrosis in 43 (15.6%) patients; unilateral absence of the vas deferens in 31 (11.2%) patients; obstructing cysts of the seminal vesicles, vas deferens, ejaculatory ducts, or prostate in 26 (9.4%) patients; and ductal obstruction secondary to calculi in 12 (4.4%) patients.


CONCLUSIONS
Transrectal US is a safe and accurate method for evaluating the distal male reproductive tract that helps identify patients with potentially correctable causes of infertility.
Kuligowska
E
E
Department of Radiology, Boston Medical Center, Boston University School of Medicine, MA 02118, USA.
Fenlon
H M
HM
D000328:Adult; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009845:Oligospermia / Q000150:complications; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods