Skip to main content

Color Doppler ultrasound investigation of varicocele

World Journal of Urology volume 22, pages 378–381 (2004)Cite this article

Abstract

Varicocele, whose association with male infertility has been clearly documented in the literature, is a common finding in adolescents and adult men, being diagnosed in 20–40% of infertile patients. A correct and early diagnosis of this affliction is of great importance because, in most cases, a timely correction, usually performed using percutaneous sclerotherapy, leads to an improvement in semen quality. Currently, physical examination in a warm room is the mainstay of diagnosis, but this is affected by a low sensibility and specificity, especially in cases of low grade varicocele. Colour Doppler ultrasound (CDU) is a new, reliable and non-invasive diagnostic method for the evaluation of varicocele testes which allows the detection of even subclinical varicocele thanks to its capacity for measuring the size of the pampiniformis plexus and blood flow parameters of the spermatic veins. At present, there is a lack of completely standardised diagnostic criteria, but when this problem is solved, clinical examination and CDU will certainly become the “gold standard” in the investigation of varicocele.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.

Access options

Buy single article

Instant access to the full article PDF.

USD 39.95

Price includes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6

References

  1. Atasoy C, Fitoz S (2001) Gray-scale and color Doppler sonographic findings in intratesticular varicocele. J Clin Ultrasound 29:369–373

    Google Scholar 

  2. Aydos K, Baltaci S, Salih M, Anafarta K, Beduk Y, Gulsoy U (1993) Use of color Doppler sonography in the evaluation of varicoceles. Eur Urol 24:221–225

    Google Scholar 

  3. Callea A, Berardi B, Di Lorenzo V, Salerno G, Jacobellis U (1997) Echo-color Doppler in the topographic study of varicocele. Arch Ital Urol Androl 69:189–192

    Google Scholar 

  4. Carlsen E, Andersen AG, Buchreitz L, Jorgensen N, Magnus O, Matulevicuus V, Nermoen I, Petersen JH, Punab M, Suominen J, Zilitiene B, Givercman A (2000) Inter-observer variation in the results of the clinical andrological examination including estimation of testicular size. Int J Androl 23:248–253

    Google Scholar 

  5. Chakraborty J, Hikim AP, Jhunijhunwala JS (1985) Stagnation of blood in the microcirculatory vessels in the testes of men with varicocele. J Androl 6:117

    Google Scholar 

  6. Chiou RK, Anderson JC, Wobig RK, Rosinsky DE, Matamoros AJr, Chen WS, Taylor RJ (1997) Color Doppler ultrasound criteria to diagnose varicoceles: correlation of a new scoring system with physical examination. Urology 50:953–956

    Google Scholar 

  7. Cohen MS, Plaine L, Brown JS (1975) The role of internal spermatic vein plasma catecholamine determination in subfertile men with varicocele. Fertil Steril 26:1243

    Google Scholar 

  8. Eskew LA, Watson NE, Wolfman N, Bechtold R, Scharling E, Jarow JP (1993) Ultrasonographic diagnosis of varicoceles. Fertil Steril 60:693–697

    Google Scholar 

  9. Gonda RLJr, Karo JJ, Forte RA, O’Donnell KT (1987) Diagnosis of subclinical varicocele in infertility. AJR Am J Roentgenol 148:71–75

    Google Scholar 

  10. Hsu HS, Wei YH, Lin AF, Chen MT, Chang LS (1995) Defective mitochondrial oxidative phosporylation in varicocele bearing testicles. Urology 46:545

    Google Scholar 

  11. Kocakoc E, Serhatlioglu S, Kiris A, Bozgeyik Z, Ozdemir H, Bodakci MN (2003) Color Doppler sonographic evaluation of inter-relations between diameter, reflux and flow volume of testicular veins in varicocele. Eur J Radiol 47:251–256

    Google Scholar 

  12. Lund L, Nielsen AH (1994) Color Doppler sonography in the assessment of varicocele testis. Scand J Urol Nephrol 28:281–285

    Google Scholar 

  13. Meachman RB, Townsend RR, Rademacher D, Drose JA (1994) The incidence of varicoceles in the general population when evaluated by physical examination, gray scale sonography and color Doppler sonography. J Urol 151:1535–1538

    Google Scholar 

  14. Naughton CK, Nangia AK, Agrawal A (2001) Pathophysiology of varicoceles in male infertility. Hum Reprod Update 23:473–81

    Google Scholar 

  15. Nguyen L, Lievano G, Ghosh L, Radhakrishnan J, Fornell L, John E (1999) Effect of unilateral testicular torsion on blood flow and histology of contralateral testes. J Pediatr Surg 46:680

    Google Scholar 

  16. Sarteschi LM, Paoli R, Bianchini M, Menchini Fabris GF (1993) Lo studio del varicocele con eco-color Doppler. G Ital Ultrasonologia 4:43–49

    Google Scholar 

  17. Shafik A, Moftah A, Olfat S, Mohi-el-din M, El-Sayed A (1990) Testicular veins: anatomy and role in varicocelogenesis and other pathologic conditions. Urology 35:175

    Google Scholar 

  18. Tasci AI, Resim S, Caskurlu T, Dincel C, Bayraktar Z, Gurbuz G (2001) Color Doppler ultrasonography and spectral analysis of venous flow in diagnosis of varicocele. Eur Urol 39:316–321

    Google Scholar 

  19. Winkelbauer FW, Ammann ME, Karnel F, Lammer J (1994) Doppler sonography of varicocele: long term follow up after venography and transcatheter sclerotherapy. J Ultrasound Med 13:953–958

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Urology, University of Trieste, Triest, Italy

    Giovanni Liguori, Carlo Trombetta, Giulio Garaffa, Stefano Bucci, Ignazio Gattuccio, Leonardo Salamè & Emanuele Belgrano

  2. Via Sticotti 2, 34123 Triest, Italy

    Giovanni Liguori

Authors
  1. Giovanni Liguori
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Carlo Trombetta
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Giulio Garaffa
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Stefano Bucci
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Ignazio Gattuccio
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Leonardo Salamè
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Emanuele Belgrano
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Giovanni Liguori.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Liguori, G., Trombetta, C., Garaffa, G. et al. Color Doppler ultrasound investigation of varicocele. World J Urol 22, 378–381 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00345-004-0421-0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00345-004-0421-0

Keywords

  • Varicocele
  • Infertility
  • Color Doppler
  • Ultrasound