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The Role of Colour Duplex Ultrasonography in the Diagnosis of Vasculogenic Impotence
Author(s) -
PICKARD R. S.,
OATES C. P.,
SETHIA K. K.,
POWELL P. H.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
british journal of urology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.773
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1464-410X
pISSN - 0007-1331
DOI - 10.1111/j.1464-410x.1991.tb15400.x
Subject(s) - papaverine , tumescence , medicine , duplex ultrasonography , arterial insufficiency , angiography , surgery , ultrasonography , penis , cardiology
Summary Colour duplex ultrasonography was used to obtain peak systolic velocity (PSV) readings from cavemosal arteries at rest and during papaverine‐induced tumescence. Results from 31 men with vasculogenic impotence were compared with those from 17 men with non‐vasculogenic impotence and a control group of 6 potent men. In the flaccid state no significant differences in PSV readings were found between the vasculogenic and control groups. Following the injection of papaverine, men from the vasculogenic group without venous leakage were alone in having significantly lower PSV readings compared with the potent controls. All 23 men with normal penile haemodynamics had a mean PSV ≥ 20 cm/s during tumescence. This was also the case for 19 (61%) of the vasculogenic group, including 9 (69%) of the 13 patients with venous leakage. The remaining 12 men in the vasculogenic group (39%) had a mean PSV <20 cm/s, this being diagnostic of an inadequate arterial inflow. Colour duplex ultrasonography can identify patients who have marked arterial insufficiency as the major cause of their impotence and hence allows more rational selection for angiography and revascularisation. Lesser degrees of arterial deficit are difficult to characterise using mean PSV readings alone.