[Doppler color ultrasonography in patients with erectile dysfunction]

The introduction of new oral therapy doesn't change the rule of color Doppler US in the screening modality of the diagnosis of vasculogenic impotence. The hemodynamic changes can be non invasively evaluated with color and energy Doppler US and with spectral analysis following injection of a vaso-active pharmacological agent. The new high sensitive US equipment allows an easy detection of the cavernous artery. Duplex Doppler can quantify the systolic-diastolic flow changes after the intra-cavernous vaso-active drugs injection. It is then possible to establish the diagnosis of arterial or venous vasculogenic impotence. The organic cause can also be excluded. The pick systolic velocity less than 0.30 m/sec is indicative of arterial origin. The absence of flow-reversal in the diastolic phase, 30 minutes after the injection, is significant for a venous type problem. Elicine arteries can be visualised and analysed using high sensitive color Doppler energy US equipment.