title: Clinical importance and prevalence of testicular microlithiasis in pediatric patients.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the prevalence of testicular microlithiasis among pediatric patients with inguinoscrotal affections.
  
  
  METHODS
  Between January 2005 and January 2010, we evaluated, prospectively 1504 children ranging from 1 to 15 years with inguinoscrotal affections with a high-frequency ultrasound system, which employs a 10-MHz transducer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Testicular microlithiasis was identified in 20 testes of eleven children (0.71% of 1504 patients evaluated), through an ultrasound scan. Testicular microlithiasis was found in 5 children with cryptorchidism (3.93% of 127 patients), 4 children with retractile testes (14.8% of 27 patients), 1 child with a hypotrophic testis (100% of 1 patient), and 1 child with inguinal hernia (0.07% of 1349 patients). The children with testicular microlithiasis were submitted to annual physical examinations and ultrasound evaluations.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Testicular microlithiasis was a rare condition and occurred in 0.7% of the subjects studied. The association with cryptorchidism, retractile and hypotrophic testis was significant.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, UFTM, Uberaba, MG, Brazil. robsonmarcia@netsite.com.br
authors.forename: Robson Azevedo
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Dutra
authors.forename: Adriana Cartafina
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Perez-Bóscollo
authors.forename: Edilaine Cristian
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Melo
authors.forename: João Celso
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Cruvinel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003456:Cryptorchidism / Q000150:complications; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006552:Hernia, Inguinal / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D020347:Lithiasis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D013733:Testicular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology*; D013737:Testis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D014463:Ultrasonography