title: Ultrasonographic evaluation of patients with male accessory gland infection.
abstract: MAGI is the inflammation of the accessory male glands that notoriously exerts a negative influence on male fertility. The diagnosis is integrated by clinical, laboratory and ultrasound evaluation. In particular, the ultrasound criteria were published in 1999. The aim of this study was to analyse the sensitivity and specificity of additional diagnostic ultrasound criteria as well as of conventional criteria in a selected category of infertile patients with MAGI. To accomplish this, 100 patients with MAGI were evaluated by scrotal and transrectal ultrasound by three different operators. The control group consisted of 100 age-matched healthy men. Statistical analysis was performed to evaluate sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and ROC curve analysis. The results showed that additional ultrasound criteria had a diagnostic accuracy similar to traditional criteria. The threshold value of two criteria for each diagnostic category (traditional and additional criteria) obtained high values of sensitivity and specificity. In conclusion, this study confirms the validity of the ultrasound criteria of MAGI previously published; in addition, it suggests the clinical utility of other indicators in clinical practice with good diagnostic accuracy and finally it establishes a clear threshold ultrasonographic value for the diagnosis of MAGI.
authors.affiliation: Section of Endocrinology, Andrology and Internal Medicine and Master in Andrological, Human Reproduction and Biotechnology Sciences, Department of Internal Medicine and Systemic Diseases, Catania University, Catania, Italy. sandrolavignera@email.it
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: La Vignera
authors.forename: A E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Calogero
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Condorelli
authors.forename: L O
authors.initials: LO
authors.lastname: Vicari
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Catanuso
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: D'Agata
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vicari
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007239:Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D007248:Infertility, Male / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D014463:Ultrasonography