Clinical and imaging features of testicular torsion: role of ultrasound.

The early and accurate diagnosis of testicular torsion remains a clinical challenge. The implications of a missed diagnosis have emphasized the need for a non-invasive test for confirming testicular ischaemia; a problem highlighted by difficulties in establishing the diagnosis clinically. Understandably, the advent of colour Doppler ultrasound (CDUS) (and subsequently 'power' Doppler and microbubble ultrasound contrast), has been greeted with enthusiasm. However, as in other fields of medicine, a policy placing sole reliance on a single technique is likely to be flawed. This review will critically evaluate the role of CDUS and other imaging modalities in the diagnosis of testicular torsion.