[Application value of elastic ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography in evaluating testicular blood supply after blockage of the vas deferens artery].

OBJECTIVE

To explore the application value of elastic ultrasound (EUS) and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in detecting the changes of testicular blood supply after blockage of the vas deferens artery.

METHODS

This study included 11 cases of microscopic varicocele ligation. We obtained the EUS and CEUS values of the patients before and after blocking the vas deferens artery and analyzed the data by paired comparison.

RESULTS

After the blockage of the vas deferens artery, the testicular hardness was reduced across the tunica albuginea and within the testis, with Ave decreased from 11.44 ± 2.52 before to 6.21 ± 1.16 after the blockage of the vas deferens artery across the tunica albuginea (P < 0.01) and from 3.99 ± 1.03 before to 3.27 ± 0.70 after the blockage within the testis (P = 0.012). The AUC in the epididymis was reduced from 80.98 ± 60.74 before to 42.82 ± 16.01 after the blockage (P = 0.021), and the AWi in the central testis from 17.19 ± 11.09 before to 11.03 ± 8.58 after the blockage (P = 0.034). No statistically significant differences, however, were observed in the values obtained close to the tunica albuginea or in the Awi and Awo in the testis after the blockage (P > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Elastic ultrasound and contrast-enhanced ultrasonography play important roles in evaluating the changes of testicular blood supply in different states.