[Application of high frequency ultrasound to the diagnosis of varicocele in infertile males].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the objective index of the diagnosis of varicocele (VC) in infertile males by ultrasonography and the testis volume changes resulting from varicocele.


METHODS
Forty-six healthy male volunteers and 178 infertile men with left varicocele were detected by high frequency ultrasound. According to the clinical data and ultrasonographic results, the 178 VC patients were divided into 4 groups, SVC group (45 cases), VC I group (44 cases), VC II group (48 cases), and VC III group (41 cases).


RESULTS
(1) The differences in DR, DV, Vmax, TR and testis volume between the right and the left sides were not statistically significant in the control group (P > 0.05). (2) The differences in DR, DV, Vmax and TR between the experimental and control groups as well as among the VC groups were statistically significant (P < 0.001). (3) The left testis volume was smaller than the right among the VC groups (P < 0.01). The right testis volume of the VC II and VC III groups was significantly smaller than that of the control group ( P < 0.05), and the left testis volume in the VC III group was significantly smaller than that of the SVC group (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
(1) High frequency ultrasound can detect the accurate diameter of the internal spermatic vein, hemodynamic index and testis volume of infertile men with VC, and hence help to screen the causes of male infertility. (2) Unilateral varicocele can cause a volume decrease in both testes, especially in the left. Both unilateral SVC and VC can cause testicular atrophy, and the more serious VC, the higher testicular atrophy.
Chu
Hong-gang
HG
Department of Ultrasound, Peoples Hospital of Wuhan University, Wuhan, Hubei 430060, China. chg121@163.com
Guo
Rui-qiang
RQ
Sun
Bin
B
Sun
You-gang
YG
Wang
Shi-min
SM
D000328:Adult; D006801:Humans; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D013737:Testis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D014646:Varicocele / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*