title: Noninvasive assessment of testicular torsion in rabbits using frequency-domain near-infrared spectroscopy: prospects for pediatric urology.
abstract: We present a quantitative near-IR spectroscopy study of the absolute values of oxygen saturation of hemoglobin before and after surgically induced testicular torsion in adult rabbits. Unilateral testicular torsions (0, 540, or 720 deg) on experimental testes and contralateral sham surgery on control testes are performed in four adult rabbits. A specially designed optical probe for measurements at multiple source-detector distances and a commercial frequency-domain tissue spectrometer are used to measure absolute values of testicular hemoglobin saturation. Our results show: (1) a consistent baseline absolute tissue hemoglobin saturation value of 78+/-5%, (2) a comparable tissue hemoglobin saturation of 77+/-6% after sham surgery, and (3) a significantly lower tissue hemoglobin saturation of 36+/-2% after 540- and 720-deg testicular torsion surgery. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of performing frequency-domain, multidistance near-IR spectroscopy for absolute testicular oximetry in the assessment of testicular torsion. We conclude that near-IR spectroscopy has potential to serve as a clinical diagnostic and monitoring tool for the assessment of absolute testicular hemoglobin desaturation caused by torsion, with the possibility of serving as a complement to conventional color and spectral Doppler ultrasonography.
authors.affiliation: Tufts University, Department of Biomedical Engineering, 4 Colby Street, Medford, Massachusetts 02155, USA.
authors.forename: Bertan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hallacoglu
authors.forename: Richard S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Matulewicz
authors.forename: Harriet J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Paltiel
authors.forename: Horacio
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Padua
authors.forename: Patricio
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gargollo
authors.forename: Glenn
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cannon
authors.forename: Ahmad
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Alomari
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sassaroli
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Fantini
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D019265:Spectroscopy, Near-Infrared / Q000379:methods*; D013086:Spermatic Cord Torsion / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins