Transrectal US in male infertility: spectrum of findings and role in patient care.

PURPOSE: To determine the findings at transrectal ultrasound (US) in infertile men with low-volume azoospermia and to evaluate its role in patient care.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

Transrectal US was performed on 276 infertile men with a mean age of 34 years (range, 24-52 years) who had documented low ejaculate volumes and azoospermia.

RESULTS

Of the 276 men, 70 (25.4%) had no anatomic abnormalities. In the remaining patients, abnormalities included congenital bilateral absence of the vas deferens in 94 (34.1%) patients; bilateral occlusion of the vas deferens, seminal vesicles, and ejaculatory ducts by calcification or fibrosis in 43 (15.6%) patients; unilateral absence of the vas deferens in 31 (11.2%) patients; obstructing cysts of the seminal vesicles, vas deferens, ejaculatory ducts, or prostate in 26 (9.4%) patients; and ductal obstruction secondary to calculi in 12 (4.4%) patients.

CONCLUSION

Transrectal US is a safe and accurate method for evaluating the distal male reproductive tract that helps identify patients with potentially correctable causes of infertility.