Abstract
The reliability of gray-scale ultrasonography in diagnosing torsion of the testicular appendages was studied in a series of 54 boys with acute non-traumatic scrotal pain. All boys were operated upon, and the appendages extirpated irrespective of their appearance at exploration; the final diagnosis was based on histological examination. Forty-two boys had appendicular torsion, 2 had testicular torsion and 10 had other diagnoses. Using the sign of appendicular torsion — an echogenic extratesticular structure situated between the head of the epididymis and the upper pole of the testis — as the criterion, 37 displayed a true positive, 9 a true negative, 3 a false positive and 5 a false negative diagnosis. Thus, the sensitivity was 88%, the specificity 75% and the positive predictive value 93% respectively. The echogenic mass varied in size from 3 to 17 mm in diameter. In 34 of the 42 cases of appendicular torsion extratesticular fluid was present, and 19 patients showed enlargement of the head of the epididymis. It is concluded that gray-scale sonography is an accurate and valuable tool in diagnosing torsion of the testicular appendages.
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Hesser, U., Rosenborg, M., Gierup, J. et al. Gray-scale sonography in torsion of the testicular appendages. Pediatr Radiol 23, 529–532 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02012140
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02012140