The diagnosis of testicular swellings using water-path ultrasound.

Water-path ultrasound was used to investigate 29 patients with swellings of the testicle. When the swelling contained fluid, such as a hydrocele or a cyst of the epididymis, it was accurately depicted in the ultrasound scan. Seminomas appeared as anechoic areas which could not be distinguished from granulomatous orchitis, but were clearly different from the homogeneous echo pattern of the normal testis. The depiction of the epididymis was less clear. Water-path ultrasonography is a promising addition to our diagnostic armamentarium.