Intratesticular arterial resistance and testicular volume in infertile men with subclinical varicocele.
OBJECTIVE
The aim of this study was to evaluate whether intratesticular arterial resistance and testicular volume differed between infertile men with subclinical varicoceles and infertile men without varicoceles.


METHODS
Fifty-eight infertile men were examined by gray-scale and color Doppler sonography for presence of varicocele, testicular volume, and arterial resistance. For men in the study group, mean testicular volume and resistance index (RI) in testes with varicoceles were compared with those in the contralateral testis by the paired t-test; statistical analyses between the study and control groups were performed by independent t-tests.


RESULTS
Twenty-seven men had left-sided varicoceles (96% of which were subclinical), and 31 infertile men without varicoceles served as controls. Mean volumes of the right and left testes of study subjects were 14.8 ml and 14.6 ml, respectively, and in controls were 14.2 ml and 13.6 ml, respectively. Mean RI values for the right and left testes of study subjects were 0.61 and 0.58, respectively, and in controls were 0.61 and 0.58, respectively. There were no statistically significant differences in volume or RI, either between the right and left testes within patient groups or between the control and study groups' combined mean values. While the mean intertesticular volume differences for the study and control groups were 2.2 ml and 3.4 ml, respectively, the mean intertesticular RI differences were 0.04 and 0.07, respectively. These values also did not differ significantly between the 2 groups.


CONCLUSIONS
Subclinical varicocele is not associated with ipsilateral testicular atrophy, and does not affect the intratesticular arterial RI.
Akcar
Nevbahar
N
Department of Radiology, Osmangazi University Hospital, Meselik 26480, Eskisehir, Turkey.
Turgut
Mehmet
M
Adapinar
Baki
B
Ozkan
I Ragip
IR
D000328:Adult; D001158:Arteries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013737:Testis / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D014646:Varicocele / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D014655:Vascular Resistance