Role of radionuclide phallogram in therapeutic decision-making for erectile dysfunction.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study is to evaluate the role of radionuclide phallograms in therapeutic decision-making for erectile dysfunction.


METHODS
Forty-eight impotent men being considered for pharmacologically-induced penile erection therapy (PIPE) had radionuclide phallograms (RP) as part of their evaluation. RP were performed using 99mTc-labeled autologous red blood cells and provided a measurement of penile blood volume (PBV) change following the intracorporeal injection of 0.25 to 0.3 mL of a papaverine/phentolamine mixture.


RESULTS
Thirty-eight patients showed a good response with a mean PBV increase 2.6 times baseline (range 1.2 to 8.9). Ten patients had significantly lower PBV changes (P = 0.001) than the first group, with a mean PBV increase of 1.6 times baseline (range 1.1 to 2.4). These ten patients were dissatisfied with pharmacologically induced penile erection (PIPE) therapy after an unsuccessful treatment trial.


CONCLUSIONS
We conclude that the RP can help to discriminate between patients who will benefit from PIPE therapy and those who will not.
Smith
E M
EM
Department of Radiology, Eastern Virginia Medical School, Norfolk, USA.
Netto
I C
IC
Gladden
K H
KH
Chaudhuri
T K
TK
Fink
S
S
Kolm
P
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D007172:Erectile Dysfunction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004912:Erythrocytes; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010208:Papaverine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010413:Penis / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000187:drug effects; D010646:Phentolamine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging
D010208:Papaverine; D010646:Phentolamine