Skip to main content
Log in

Role and added value of contrast enhanced ultrasound of the painful scrotum in the emergency setting

  • Pictorial Essay
  • Published:
Journal of Ultrasound Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Emergency imaging of the scrotum is part of routine medical practice. Indications include epididymitis/epididymo-orchitis, testicular torsion, trauma, tumors and infarction. Prompt diagnosis and management are needed to ensure optimal patient outcome. Ultrasound (US) is the initial, and often the only, imaging modality for testicular pathologies. Usually, B-mode and color Doppler US are adequate. In challenging cases, contrast-enhanced US (CEUS) facilitates final diagnosis or increases the examiner’s confidence by confirming findings on non-enhanced US. This paper elaborates on the examination technique of CEUS for testicular pathologies, thereby showing its added value over baseline US techniques in the emergency setting.

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

Access this article

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

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7
Fig. 8
Fig. 9
Fig. 10
Fig. 11

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article.

References

  1. Trinci M, Cirimele V, Ferrari R et al (2020) Diagnostic value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) and comparison with color Doppler ultrasound and magnetic resonance in a case of scrotal trauma. J Ultrasound 23:189–194

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Tenuta M, Sesti F, Bonaventura I et al (2021) Use of contrast enhanced ultrasound in testicular diseases: a comprehensive review. Andrology 9(5):1369–1382

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  3. Gorman B, Caroll BA (2005) The scrotum. In: Rumack CM, Wilson SR, Charboneau JW (eds) Diagnostic ultrasound, 3rd edn. Elsevier Mosby, St Louis, pp 849–888

    Google Scholar 

  4. ECRI Institut (2022) Cleaning and disinfecting diagnostic ultrasound transducers: our recommendations. Health Devices 2018 Jul 25. Accessed 11 Nov 2022

  5. Yusuf GT, Rafailidis V, Moore S et al (2020) The role of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the evaluation of scrotal trauma: a review. Insights Imaging 11:68

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  6. Claudon M, Dietrich CF, Choi BI et al (2013) Guidelines and good clinical practice recommendations for Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) in the liver - update 2012: a WFUMB-EFSUMB initiative in cooperation with representatives of AFSUMB, AIUM, ASUM. FLAUS and ICUS Ultraschall in Med 39(2):187–210

    Google Scholar 

  7. Piscaglia F, Nolsøe C, Dietrich CF et al (2012) The EFSUMB guidelines and recommendations on the clinical practice of contrast enhanced ultrasound (CEUS): update 2011 on non-hepatic applications. Ultraschall in Med 33(1):33–59

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Sidhu PS, Cantisani V, Dietrich CF et al (2018) The EFSUMB guidelines and recommendations for the clinical practice of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in non-hepatic applications: update 2017. Ultraschall in Med 39(2):e2–e44

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Seitz K, Strobel D (2016) A milestone: approval of CEUS for diagnostic liver imaging in adults and children in the USA. Ultraschall in Med 37:229–232

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Greis C (2004) Technology overview: SonoVue (Bracco, Milan). Eur Radiol 14(Suppl 8):P11–P15

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Badea R, Lucan C, Suciu M et al (2016) Contrast enhanced harmonic ultrasonography for the evaluation of acute scrotal pathology. Pictorial essay. Med Ultrason 18(1):110–115

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Forsberg F (2008) Comparing contrast-enhanced color flow imaging and pathological measures of breast lesion vascularity. Ultrasound Med Biol 34:1365–1372

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  13. Yusuf GT, Sellars ME, Deganello A et al (2017) Retrospective analysis of the safety and cost implications of pediatric contrast-enhanced ultrasound at a single center. AJR Am J Roentgenol 208:446–452

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Marshall G, Sykes A, Berry J et al (2011) The “humble” bubble: contrast-enhanced ultrasound. Radiography 17:345–349

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Piscaglia F, Bolondi L (2006) The safety of Sonovue in abdominal applications: retrospective analysis of 23188 investigations. Ultrasound Med Biol 32:1369–1375

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Cokkinos DD, Antypa E, Tserotas P et al (2011) Emergency ultrasound of the scrotum. A review of the commonest pathologic conditions. Curr Probl Diagn Radiol 40(1):1–14

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Yusuf G, Sellars ME, Kooiman GG et al (2013) Global testicular infarction in the presence of epididymitis clinical features, appearances on grayscale, color Doppler, contrast-enhanced sonography, and histologic correlation. J Ultrasound Med 32:175–180

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Nicholson A, Rait G, Murray-Thomas T et al (2010) Management of epididymo-orchitis in primary care: results from a large UK primary care database. Br J Gen Pract 60:e407–e422

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  19. Wittenberg AF, Tobias T, Rzeszotarski M et al (2006) Sonography of the acute scrotum: the four T’s of testicular imaging. Curr Probl Diagn Radiol 35:12–21

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Cook JL, Dewbury K (2000) The changes seen on high-resolution ultrasound in orchitis. Clin Radiol 55:13–18

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Horstman WG (1997) Scrotal imaging. Urol Clin N Am 24:653–671

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Sanders LM, Haber S, Dembner A et al (1994) Significance of reversal of diastolic flow in the acute scrotum. J Ultrasound Med 13:137–139

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Suciu M, Serban O, Iacob G et al (2017) Severe acute epididymo-orchitis complicated with abscess and testicular necrosis-case report. Ultrasound Int Open 3(1):E45–E47

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  24. Testicular torsion (2021) https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/testicular-torsion/symptoms-causes/syc-20378270. Accessed 08 Dec 2021

  25. Mellick LB, Sinex JE, Gibson RW et al (2019) A systematic review of testicle survival time after a torsion event. Pediatr Emerg Care 35(12):821–825

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Tiemstra JD, Kapoor S (2008) Evaluation of scrotal masses. Am Fam Physician 78:1165–1170

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Stehr M, Boehm R (2003) Critical validation of color Doppler ultrasound in diagnostics of acute scrotum in children. Eur J Pediatr Surg 13:386–392

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Patel NU, Drose JA, Russ P (2013) Partial testicular torsion and torsion-detorsion syndrome. J Diagn Med Sonogr 29(5):225–231

    Article  Google Scholar 

  29. Middleton WD, Middleton MA, Dierks M et al (1997) Sonographic prediction of viability in testicular torsion: preliminary observations. J Ultrasound Med 16:23–27

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Winter TC (2002) Ultrasonography of the scrotum. Appl Radiol 31:3

    Google Scholar 

  31. Prando D (2002) Torsion of the spermatic cord: sonographic diagnosis. Ultrasound Q 18:41–57

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Kalfa N, Veyrac C, Baud C et al (2004) Spermatic cord in children with testicular torsion: impact on the surgical strategy. J Urol 172:1692–1695

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Bude RO, Kenelly MJ, Adler RS et al (1995) Nonpulsatile arterial waveforms: observations during graded testicular torsion in rats. Acad Radiol 2:879–882

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Sriprasad S, Kooiman GG, Muir GH et al (2001) Acute segmental testicular infarction: differentiation from tumour using high frequency colour Doppler ultrasound. Br J Radiol 74:965–967

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Ledwige ME, Lee DK, Winter TC III et al (2002) Sonographic diagnosis of superior hemispheric testicular infarction. AJR Am J Roentgenol 179:775–776

    Article  Google Scholar 

  36. Moschouris H, Stamatiou K, Lampropoulou E et al (2009) Imaging of the acute scrotum: is there a place for contrast-enhanced ultrasonography? Int Braz J Urol 35:692–705

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  37. Traubici J, Daneman A, Navarro O et al (2003) Original report. Testicular torsion in neonates and infants: sonographic features in 30 patients. AJR Am J Roentgenol 180:1143–1145

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  38. Baldisserotto M, de Souza JC, Pertence AP et al (2005) Color Doppler sonography of normal and torsed testicular appendages in children. AJR Am J Roentgenol 184:1287–1292

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  39. Hesser U, Rosenberg M, Gierup J et al (1993) Gray-scale sonography in torsion of the testicular appendages. Pediatr Radiol 23:529–532

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  40. Bhatt S, Dogra VS (2008) Role of US in testicular and scrotal trauma. Radiographics 28:1617–1629

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  41. Lobianco R, Regine R, De Siero M et al (2011) Contrast-enhanced sonography in blunt scrotal trauma. J Ultrasound 14:188–195

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  42. Bhandary P, Abbitt PL, Watson L (1992) Ultrasound diagnosis of traumatic testicular rupture. J Clin Ultrasound 20:346–348

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  43. Ramanathan S, Bertolotto M, Freeman S et al (2021) Imaging in scrotal trauma: a European Society of Urogenital Radiology Scrotal and Penile Imaging Working Group (ESUR-SPIWG) position statement. Eur Radiol 31(7):4918–4928

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  44. Terlecki RP (2016) Testicular trauma. http://iranianpda.net/medscape/A441362-business. Accessed 15 Jan 2016

  45. Sidhu P (2011) Diseases of the testis and epididymis. In: Allan P, Baxter GM, Weston MJ (eds) Clinical ultrasound 2 volume set, 3rd edn. Churchill Livingstone, London, pp 593–618

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  46. Deurdulian C, Mittelstaedt CA, Chong WK et al (2007) US of acute scrotal trauma: optimal technique, imaging findings, and management. Radiographics 27(2):357–369

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  47. Barale M, Oderda M, Faletti R et al (2015) The strange case of a hematocele mistaken for a neoplastic scrotal mass. Can Urol Assoc J 9:E217–E219

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  48. Yusuf GT, Sidhu PS (2013) A review of ultrasound imaging in scrotal emergencies. J Ultrasound 16:171–178

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  49. Sporea I, Badea R, Brisc C et al (2017) Romanian national guidelines on contrast enhanced ultrasound in clinical practice. Med Ultrason 19:401–415

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  50. Valentino M, Bertolotto M, Derchi L et al (2011) Role of contrast enhanced ultrasound in acute scrotal diseases. Eur Radiol 21:1831–1840

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  51. Yusuf G, Konstantatou E, Sellars ME et al (2015) Multiparametric sonography of testicular hematomas: features on grayscale, color Doppler, and contrast-enhanced sonography and strain elastography. J Ultrasound Med 34:1319–1328

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  52. Jaffer OS, Sidhu PS (2013) Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography of the testes. Ultrasound Clin 8:509–523

    Article  Google Scholar 

  53. Hedayati V, Sellars ME, Sharma DM et al (2012) Contrast-enhanced ultrasound in testicular trauma: role in directing exploration, debridement and organ salvage. Br J Radiol 85:e65–e68

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  54. Missiroli C, Mansouri M, Singh A (2017) Imaging of acute conditions of male reproductive organs. In: Singh A (ed) Emergency radiology: imaging of acute pathologies, 2nd edn. Springer, pp 116–132

    Google Scholar 

  55. Cantisani V, Bertolotto M, Weskott HP et al (2015) Growing indications for CEUS: the kidney, testis, lymph nodes, thyroid, prostate, and small bowel. Eur J Radiol 84:1675–1684

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  56. Ruzal-Shapiro C, Newhouse JH (1986) Genitourinary ultrasound. In: Taveras JM, Ferrucci JT (eds) Radiology: diagnosis imaging intervention, 4th edn. JB Lippincott, Philadelphia

    Google Scholar 

  57. Marko J, Wolfman DJ, Aubin AL, Sesterhenn IA (2017) Testicular seminoma and its mimics. Radiographics 37:1085–1098

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  58. He Y, Liao H, Xiang X et al (2019) High-frequency ultrasonography and contrast-enhanced ultrasound for the evaluation of testicular capillary hemangioma. A case report. Medicine (Baltimore) 98(11):e14779

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  59. Bilagi P, Sriprasad S, Clarke JL et al (2007) Clinical and ultrasound features of segmental testicular infarction: 6-year experience from a single centre. Eur Radiol 17:2810–2818

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  60. Valentino M, Bertolotto M, Martino P et al (2014) Incidentally detection of non-palpable testicular nodules at scrotal ultrasound: what is new? Arch Ital Urol Androl 86:378–382

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  61. Fernández-Pérez GC, Tardáguila FM, Velasco M et al (2005) Radiologic findings of segmental testicular infarction. AJR Am J Roentgenol 184:1587–1593

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  62. Bertolotto M, Derchi LE, Sidhu PS et al (2011) Acute segmental testicular infarction at contrast-enhanced ultrasound: early features and changes during follow-up. AJR Am J Roentgenol 196:834–841

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  63. Font MRP, Vas D, Puigsureda IT et al (2021) The role of contrast enhanced ultrasound in the differential diagnosis of segmental testicular infarction. Radiol Case Rep 16(12):3815–3820

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Funding

The authors declare that no funds, grants, or other support were received during the preparation of this manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Contributions

DDC had the idea for the article. DDC, SP, VR, CS, TF and ST performed the literature search and data analysis. IK revised the work.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Demosthenes D. Cokkinos.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no competing interests of financial or personal nature affecting the content of this manuscript.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Cokkinos, D.D., Partovi, S., Rafailidis, V. et al. Role and added value of contrast enhanced ultrasound of the painful scrotum in the emergency setting. J Ultrasound 26, 563–575 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40477-022-00764-2

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40477-022-00764-2

Keywords

Navigation