Skip to main content

Imaging the Infertile Male-2: Obstructive Syndromes and Other Disorders

  • Chapter
Scrotal Pathology

Part of the book series: Medical Radiology ((Med Radiol Diagn Imaging))

  • 2239 Accesses

Abstract

The evaluation of infertile men begins with a detailed clinical history and physical examination and then proceeds to laboratory test including semen analysis, hormonal assays, sperm function test, and genetic test. Imaging studies can be used selectively as part of the comprehensive evaluation of male infertility. In this chapter, we review the spectrum of diseases responsible for male infertility, discuss appropriate imaging modalities to be proven for specific clinical settings, and illustrate characteristic imaging findings that permit specific diagnosis. We also discuss how imaging studies may be used to distinguish defects of sperm production from obstruction of sperm passage. The discussion is divided into three main categories: obstruction in sperm passage, impairment in sperm function, and defect in sperm genesis.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 189.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 249.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Afzelius BA (1976) A human syndrome caused by immotile cilia. Science 193:317–319

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Afzelius BA (1979) The immotile-cilia syndrome and other ciliary diseases. Int Rev Exp Pathol 19:1–43

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bartynski WS, Lin L (1997) Dynamic and conventional spin-echo MR of pituitary microlesions. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 18:965–972

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bhansali A, Banerjee PK, Dash S et al (1992) Pituitary and testicular involvement in primary haemochromatosis. A case report. J Assoc Physicians India 40:757–759

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bick D, Franco B, Sherins RJ et al (1992) Brief report: intragenic deletion of the KALIG-1 gene in Kallmann’s syndrome. N Engl J Med 326:1752–1755

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Breeland E, Cohen MS, Warner RS et al (1981) Epididymal obstruction in azoospermic males. Infertility 4:49–66

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brugh VM 3rd, Lipshultz LI (2004) Male factor infertility: evaluation and management. Med Clin North Am 88:367–385

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brugh VM 3rd, Matschke HM, Lipshultz LI (2003) Male factor infertility. Endocrinol Metab Clin North Am 32:689–707

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • CA BryanPJ, Morrison SC et al (1988) US findings in adrenogenital syndrome. J US Med 7:675–679

    Google Scholar 

  • Colpi GM, Negri L, Nappi RE et al (1997) Is transrectal ultrasonography a reliable diagnostic approach in ejaculatory duct sub-obstruction? Hum Reprod 12:2186–2191

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Coulam CB, Graham ML 2nd, Spelsberg TC (1984) Androgen insensitivity syndrome: gonadal androgen receptor activity. Am J Obstet Gynecol 150:531–533

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Daudin M, Bieth E, Bujan L et al (2000) Congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens: clinical characteristics, biological parameters, cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene mutations, and implications for genetic counseling. Fertil Steril 74:1164–1174

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gale ME (1983) Hermaphroditism demonstrated by computed tomography. AJR Am J Roentgenol 141:99–100

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gambino J, Caldwell B, Dietrich R et al (1992) Congenital disorders of sexual differentiation: MR findings. AJR Am J Roentgenol 158:363–367

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson PT, Horton KM, Fishman EK (2009) Adrenal imaging with MDCT: nonneoplastic disease. AJR Am J Roentgenol 193:1128–1135

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kartagener M, Stucki P (1962) Bronchiectasis with situs inversus. Arch Pediatr 79:193–207

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kennedy MP, Noone PG, Leigh MW et al (2007) High-resolution CT of patients with primary ciliary dyskinesia. AJR Am J Roentgenol 188:1232–1238

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kim SH, Pollack HM, Cho KS et al (1993) Tuberculous epididymitis and epididymo-orchitis: sonographic findings. J Urol 150:81–84

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lambert B (1951) The frequency of mumps and of mumps orchitis and the consequences for sexuality and fertility. Acta Genet Stat Med 2:1–166

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Macleod J (1951) Semen quality in 1000 men of known fertility and in 800 cases of infertile marriage. Fertil Steril 2:115–139

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Moon MH, Kim SH, Cho JY et al (2006) Scrotal US for evaluation of infertile men with azoospermia. Radiology 239:168–173

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nghiem HT, Kellman GM, Sandberg SA et al (1990) Cystic lesions of the prostate. Radiographics 10:635–650

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Noone PG, Leigh MW, Sannuti A et al (2004) Primary ciliary dyskinesia: diagnostic and phenotypic features. Am J Respir Crit Care Med 169:459–467

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Purohit RS, Wu DS, Shinohara K et al (2004) A prospective comparison of 3 diagnostic methods to evaluate ejaculatory duct obstruction. J Urol 171:232–235 discussion 235–236

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Quinzii C, Castellani C (2000) The cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator gene and male infertility. J Endocrinol Invest 23:684–689

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rutgers JL, Scully RE (1991) The androgen insensitivity syndrome (testicular feminization): a clinicopathologic study of 43 cases. Int J Gynecol Pathol 10:126–144

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Siminoski K, D’Costa M, Walfish PG (1990) Hypogonadotropic hypogonadism in idiopathic hemochromatosis: evidence for combined hypothalamic and pituitary involvement. J Endocrinol Invest 13:849–853

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sivit CJ, Hung W, Taylor GA et al (1991) Sonography in neonatal congenital adrenal hyperplasia. AJR Am J Roentgenol 156:141–143

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Sparacia G, Banco A, Midiri M et al (1998) MR imaging technique for the diagnosis of pituitary iron overload in patients with transfusion-dependent beta-thalassemia major. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol 19:1905–1907

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Takihara H, Sakatoku J, Cockett AT (1991) The pathophysiology of varicocele in male infertility. Fertil Steril 55:861–868

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Tizzano EF, Silver MM, Chitayat D et al (1994) Differential cellular expression of cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator in human reproductive tissues. Clues for the infertility in patients with cystic fibrosis. Am J Pathol 144:906–914

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Yousem DM, Geckle RJ, Bilker W et al (1996) MR evaluation of patients with congenital hyposmia or anosmia. AJR Am J Roentgenol 166:439–443

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Min Hoan Moon .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2011 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Moon, M.H., Kim, S.H. (2011). Imaging the Infertile Male-2: Obstructive Syndromes and Other Disorders. In: Bertolotto, M., Trombetta, C. (eds) Scrotal Pathology. Medical Radiology(). Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/174_2011_192

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/174_2011_192

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-642-12455-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-642-12456-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics