Automated sonographic evaluation of testicular perfusion.
Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (US) imaging is potentially applicable to the investigation of vascular disorders of the testis. We investigated the ability of two automated computer algorithms to analyse contrast-enhanced pulse inversion US data in a rabbit model of unilateral testicular ischaemia and to correctly determine relative testicular perfusion: nonlinear curve fitting of the US backscatter intensity as a function of time; and spectral analysis of the intensity time trace. We compared (i) five metrics based on the algorithmic data to testicular perfusion ratios obtained with radiolabelled microspheres, a reference standard; (ii) qualitative assessment of the US images by two independent readers blinded to the side of the experimental and control testes to the radiolabelled microsphere perfusion ratios; and (iii) results of the algorithmically-derived metrics to the qualitative assessments of the two readers. For the curve fit method, the algorithmically-derived metrics agreed with the reference standard in 54% to 68% of all cases. For the spectral method, the results agreed in 70% of all cases. The two readers agreed with the reference standard in 40% and 35% of all cases, respectively. These results suggest that automated methods of analysis may provide useful information in the assessment of testicular perfusion.
Thierman
Jonathan S
JS
Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA 02139, USA.
Clement
Gregory T
GT
Kalish
Leslie A
LA
O'Kane
Patrick L
PL
Frauscher
Ferdinand
F
Paltiel
Harriet J
HJ
D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D001331:Automation; D003198:Computer Simulation; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000494:pharmacology; D004453:Echoencephalography / Q000379:methods*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D015233:Models, Statistical; D010477:Perfusion; D011817:Rabbits; D012542:Scattering, Radiation; D013737:Testis / Q000473:pathology*
D003287:Contrast Media