Utility of shear wave ultrasound elastography in evaluation of testicular stiffness in patients with varicocele

Abstract

Abstract Background Testicular varicocele is the most frequent cause of male infertility. The study aimed at evaluation of testicular stiffness in patients with varicocele measured by shear wave ultrasound elastography (SWE) in correlation to patient semen analysis (total sperm count) and varicocele grade. This case–control study involved 50 patients (40 patients with bilateral testicular varicocele and 10 patients with unilateral Lt. testicular varicocele of different grades) and 25 healthy controls. All participants underwent physical examination, semen analysis (patient group subdivided in two groups: group A; normospermic and group B; oligospermic), scrotal grey scale and Doppler ultrasound, and shear wave ultrasound elastography with measurement of mean testicular stiffness. Evaluation of testicular stiffness and correlation to varicocele grade and semen analysis (total sperm count) were done. Results The mean testicular stiffness value measured by SWE in patients with testicular varicocele was greater than that of healthy controls (7.46 ± 1.64 kPa vs. 3.84 ± 0.62 kPa, P < 0.001). The mean testicular stiffness value in group B exceeded that of group A (8.57 ± 1.53 kPa vs. 6.34 ± 1.76 kPa, P = 0.001). A moderate positive correlation was found between mean testicular stiffness value and the varicocele grade (P = 0.01) which was more evident in group B than in group A (P = 0.01). Conclusions Testicular ultrasound SWE is a quantitative noninvasive imaging method which helps in the assessment of testicular parenchymal changes due to varicocele. Higher testicular stiffness values were found in testes of patients with varicocele, more in oligospermic patients than the testes of healthy controls. Testicular stiffness is moderately correlated to varicocele grade.

Keywords

• Infertility
• Mean stiffness
• Shear wave elastography
• Testes
• Ultrasound elastography
• Varicocele