[Echographic evaluation of the undescended testis beyond the therapeutically useful period. Echopattern and testicular volume].

Echotomography and C.T. scan are the most common Imaging Techniques to study undescended testis: the echotomography for the inguinal, crural, perineal and penile localization; C.T. scan for the abdominal localization. The aim of this study was to evaluate morphological and volumetric alterations of testis in pre- and post-puberal patients with echotomography and C.T. scan. 65 patients were divided in two groups on the basis of age: group 1 (5-13 yrs; n = 46) and group 2 (> 13 yrs; n = 19). The volumetric and echo-structural alterations were more frequent in group 2 than in group 1. In group 1 a significant difference was observed between the incidence of echo-structural (35%) and volumetric (65%) alterations. A retained testis shows increased morphological alterations by aging. On the basis of these results we can conclude that in the group 1 the volumetric analysis is more reliable than the echo-structural analysis to evaluate testis "well-state".