title: Bilateral vanished testes diagnosed with a single blood sample showing very high gonadotropins (follicle-stimulating hormone and luteinizing hormone) and very low inhibin B.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In boys with cryptorchidism median serum values of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH) are higher and median serum values of inhibin B lower than in normal controls. Serum values of inhibin B reflect the state of germinative epithelium in cryptorchid testes. The aim of the study was to evaluate whether a simple blood sample of gonadotropins and inhibin B could diagnose bilateral vanished testes.
  
  
  METHODS
  Group I included five boys (4 months to 6 years and 3 months old) with bilateral vanished testes at laparoscopy. Group II included 82 boys with bilateral cryptorchidism younger than 7 years of age at surgery for bilateral cryptorchidism (median age 1 year and 9 months).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The serum levels of hormones for the patients with vanished testes were: inhibin B 5?18 pg/ml, FSH 41-191 IU/l and LH 3.9?56 IU/l. The patients all had karyotype 46,xy. The serum levels of hormones from group II were: inhibin B median 122 (range 20?404) pg/ml, FSH median 0.8 (range 0.2?3.5) IU/l and LH median 0.2 (range 0.1-3.2) IU/l. The serum levels of inhibin B, FSH and LH from the boys with vanished testes were significantly different from the serum levels of the boys with bilateral cryptorchidism (p = 0.0026, p < 0.0001 and p < 0.0001, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The serum values of gonadotropins and inhibin B from boys with bilateral vanished testes were significantly different from those of bilateral cryptorchid boys, indicating no germinative epithelium, no Sertoli cells and compensatory high gonadotropins. If such abnormal serum values are obtained from boys with bilateral non-palpable testes, tubular tissue is not present and surgery can be avoided.
authors.affiliation: Departments of Pediatric Surgery, Rigshospitalet, Copenhagen, Denmark. j-thorup@rh.dk
authors.forename: Jorgen
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Thorup
authors.forename: Bodil Laub
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Petersen
authors.forename: Kolja
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kvist
authors.forename: Dina
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cortes
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003456:Cryptorchidism / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D006061:Gonadal Dysgenesis, 46,XY / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007265:Inhibins / Q000097:blood*; D059785:Karyotype; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone / Q000097:blood*; D008297:Male; D013737:Testis / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: C422364:inhibin B; D007265:Inhibins; D007986:Luteinizing Hormone; D005640:Follicle Stimulating Hormone