Practical recommendations for performing ultrasound scanning in the urological and andrological fields.
OBJECTIVE
US scanning has been defined as the urologist's stethoscope. These recommendations have been drawn up with the aim of ensuring minimum standards of excellence for ultrasound imaging in urological and andrological practice. A series of essential recommendations are made, to be followed during ultrasound investigations in kidney, prostate, bladder, scrotal and penile diseases.


METHODS
Members of the Imaging Working Group of the Italian Society of Urology (SIU) in collaboration with the Italian Society of Ultrasound in Urology, Andrology and Nephrology (SIEUN) identified expert Urologists, Andrologists, Nephrologists and Radiologists. The recommendations are based on review of the literature, previously published recommendations, books and the opinions of the experts. The final document was reviewed by national experts, including members of the Italian Society of Radiology.


RESULTS
Recommendations are listed in 5 chapters, focused on: kidney, bladder, prostate and seminal vesicles, scrotum and testis, penis, including penile echo-doppler. In each chapter clear definitions are made of: indications, technological standards of the devices, the method of performance of the investigation. The findings to be reported are described and discussed, and examples of final reports for each organ are included. In the tables, the ultrasound features of the principal male uro-genital diseases are summarized. Diagnostic accuracy and second level investigations are considered.


CONCLUSIONS
Ultrasound is an integral part of the diagnosis and follow-up of diseases of the urinary system and male genitals in patients of all ages, in both the hospital and outpatient setting. These recommendations are dedicated to enhancing communication and evidence-based medicine in an inter- and multi-disciplinary approach. The ability to perform and interpret ultrasound imaging correctly has become an integral part of clinical practice in uro-andrology, but intra and inter-observer variability is a well known limitation. These recommendations will help to improve reliability and reproducibility in uro-andrological ultrasound scanning.
Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation-Urology I, University "Aldo Moro", Bari. pasqualeluciomartino@libero.it.
Pasquale
P
Martino
Andrea Benedetto
AB
Galosi
Marco
M
Bitelli
Paolo
P
Consonni
Fulvio
F
Fiorini
Antonio
A
Granata
Roberta
R
Gunelli
Giovanni
G
Liguori
Silvano
S
Palazzo
Nicola
N
Pavan
Vincenzo
V
Scattoni
Guido
G
Virgili
D033441:Andrology; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D007668:Kidney / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D010413:Penis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011467:Prostate / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012611:Scrotum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional; D001743:Urinary Bladder / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014570:Urologic Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014572:Urology