The role of contrast enhanced ultrasound in the differential diagnosis of segmental testicular infarction

Abstract

A 43-year-old male presented to the emergency department with acute left testicular pain. Physical exam showed a tender left testicle and epididymis with mild swelling. Doppler and contrast enhanced ultrasound revealed a heterogeneous, avascular lesion with hyper vascularized surrounding. Follow-up contrast enhanced ultrasound performed a few days later showed persistence of the sparsely vascularized lesion with more hypoechoic echo structure.Despite the tumor markers being negative, a necrotic tumor could not be ruled out and a left orchiectomy was performed. Pathology report described an extensive segmental testicular infarction with no evidence of malignant tissue.We present the ultrasound and pathology findings, differential diagnostic pearls and clinical perspective of segmental testicular infarction.

Keywords

• Testicular ultrasound
• Conservative management
• Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound
• Acute scrotum
• Testicular abscess
• Burned-out testicular tumor