title: [Application value of scrotal ultrasonography in the etiological diagnosis of azoospermia].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the application of scrotal ultrasonography in the diagnosis of the causes of azoospermia.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed scrotal ultrasonography for 96 patients with azoospermia, and analyzed the ultrasonographic images in comparison with the results of the final diagnosis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Based on the characteristics of the ultrasonographic images, 35 of the cases were diagnosed as obstructive azoospermia and the other 61 as non-obstructive azoospermia, with an accuracy rate of 97.0%. The causes and sites of the lesions were manifested in 44.4% of the obstructive and 46.7% of the non-obstructive cases, with accuracy rates of 100% and 75.0%, respectively. As for the rest of the cases, scrotal ultrasonography helped narrow the scope of further examinations by giving directional indications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Scrotal ultrasonography is an essential means for the diagnosis of the causes of azoospermia, or for obtaining directional indications of its causes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ultrasound, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan 450052, China. upup1212@126.com
authors.forename: Yan
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Pei-yuan
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.forename: Ke-min
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D053713:Azoospermia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012611:Scrotum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult