[Testicular microlithiasis: ultrasonic diagnosis and correlation with male infertility].
OBJECTIVE
To study the sonographic appearance of testicular microlithiasis (TM) and its correlation with male infertility.


METHODS
We conducted high-resolution 2D ultrasound examination for 1 198 patients with scrotal diseases, including 379 with infertility and 819 with other testicular diseases.


RESULTS
TM was found in 21 of the infertile men (5.54%) and 12 of the other 819 fertile patients (1.47%). TM was correlated with male infertility (r = 0. 115, P < 0.01), with a higher incidence in the infertile patients than in patients with other testicular diseases (P < 0.05). Sonography of TM showed high-echo dots in the testicular parenchyma, sparse, sporadic or converted, about 1 mm in diameter and without shadow.


CONCLUSIONS
The sonographic appearance of TM, with its obvious features, is conducive to the definite diagnosis of the disease. TM is correlated with male infertility.
Wang
Pei-Ying
PY
Department of Urology, General Hospital of Tianjin Medical University, Tianjin 300052, China. wzhg605@sina.com
Shen
Ming-Yu
MY