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Mobile Echogenicities on Scrotal Sonography
Author(s) -
Frates Mary C.,
Benson Carol B.,
Stober Susan L.
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
journal of ultrasound in medicine
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.574
H-Index - 91
eISSN - 1550-9613
pISSN - 0278-4297
DOI - 10.7863/jum.2011.30.10.1387
Subject(s) - vasectomy , medicine , scrotal pain , epididymitis , gynecology , surgery , population , family planning , scrotum , research methodology , environmental health
Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine whether mobile echogenicities seen in the epididymis on scrotal sonography are associated with prior vasectomy. Methods We prospectively obtained a sonographic video clip of each epididymal body in outpatients sent for scrotal sonography. The presence of punctate mobile echogenicities in the epididymal body was noted, and the indication for the sonogram, patient age, and history of vasectomy were recorded. This study was compliant with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act and was approved by the Institutional Review Board. Results Of 345 patients (mean age, 44.9 years), 56 (16.2%) had undergone vasectomy and 289 had not. Mobile echogenicities were found in 8 patients, 7 of whom were postvasectomy. The rates of mobile echogenicities appearing were 12.5% (7 of 56) in the vasectomy group and 0.3% (1 of 289) in the nonvasectomy group ( P < .0001, Fisher exact test). Epididymal cysts were seen in 184 of 345 patients (53.3%). There was no significant difference in the presence of epididymal cysts in the patients who had undergone vasectomy compared to those who had not ( P = .34), including 30 of 56 postvasectomy patients (53.6%) and 154 of 289 patients without vasectomy (53.3%). Pain was reported by 177 patients (51.3%), including 34 of 56 (60.7%) in the postvasectomy group and 143 of 289 (49.5%) without vasectomy. The presence of pain was similar in both groups ( P = .15). Conclusions The presence of mobile echogenicities in the epididymis is almost always a postvasectomy finding and occurs in approximately 12.5% of such patients. There is no significant difference in the rate of epididymal cysts or pain after vasectomy compared to those who have not had vasectomies.