[The role of thermography in the diagnosis of testicular diseases].

Combined clinical and thermovision investigation was carried out in 104 patients with various scrotal diseases. Acute epididymitis and orchidoepididymitis (42 patients) were associated with the following thermographic signs: thermo-asymmetric intensity of infrared emission with hyperthermia (0.6 to 2 degrees C) on the affected side, a greater glow area, as compared to actual anatomical size of the organ, "truncal" inguino-iliac hyperthermia in cases of ascending lymphangitis. Asymmetry of heat pattern diminished or disappeared altogether in cases of successful treatment. Hydrocele (32 patients) was associated with enlarged heat outlines on the affected side of the scrotum, without any apparent heat pattern asymmetry. Malignant testicular tumors (30 patients) were associated with enlarged outline of the affected scrotal side with a temperature difference of 1.2 degrees C and more, as compared to the normal side, persistent hyperthermia at repeated examinations, small- and medium-sized hyperthermic foci over the projected liver, lungs, mediastinum, meso- and hypogastrium, lumbar region and in the area of lateral neck surface in cases of metastatic growth. A clear-cut homogeneous hyperthermia over the anterior abdominal wall and in the lumbar region is registered as a post-gamma teletherapy condition. Thermovision is an effective instrument for the diagnosis of benign and malignant scrotal diseases; it makes possible early detection of complications (lymphangitis, lymphadenitis, metastases) providing for an objective assessment of treatment efficiency. The accuracy of thermovision diagnosis was 100% in cases of hydrocele and acute orchidoepididymitis, and 89.6% in cases of testicular tumors.