Gray-scale and power doppler sonographic appearances of acute inflammatory diseases of the scrotum.
OBJECTIVE
We describe the spectrum of gray-scale and power Doppler sonographic appearances in inflammatory scrotal diseases.


METHODS
Twenty-five patients ranging in age from 3 to 69 years underwent gray-scale and power Doppler sonography with multifrequency transducers of 7-9 MHz or 10-13 MHz. In addition, color Doppler and power Doppler findings were compared in 7 cases.


RESULTS
In all 5 prepubertal patients, power Doppler imaging demonstrated hyperemia associated with epididymitis and, in some cases, orchitis. Among the 20 pubertal and adult patients, power Doppler imaging revealed increased vascularity associated with spermatic cord involvement, epididymitis, orchiepididymitis, or orchitis. Enlargement and heterogeneity of the epididymis and/or testis were seen in 11 patients, with vas efferens ectasia in 3 patients. Abscess formation and testicular infarction were easily depicted by power Doppler imaging. In 5 cases total, hyperemia was the only sonographic finding of inflammation. In the comparison between color and power Doppler imaging, a subjective increase in the number and length of vessels was seen with power Doppler imaging.


CONCLUSIONS
Power Doppler imaging is an easy and fast Doppler modality for evaluating inflammatory conditions of the scrotum and proved especially useful in cases with no gray-scale sonographic anomalies, in prepubertal patients, and in patients with abscesses or ischemic lesions.
Farriol
V G
VG
Department of Radiology, Hospital General de Granollers, University of Barcelona, Avenida Francesc Ribas, 08400 Granollers, Spain.
Comella
X P
XP
Agromayor
E G
EG
Crèixams
X S
XS
Martinez De La Torre
I B
IB
D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004823:Epididymitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009920:Orchitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012611:Scrotum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler / Q000379:methods