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Published on: February 10, 2023
Role of transrectal ultrasonography in evaluating the cause of azoospermia
1Department of Radiology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, Calif., USA. nyassa@goodsam.org
Objective:
To assess the role of transrectal ultrasonography in the investigation of azoospermia, a significant cause of infertility.
Methods:
Over a 2-year period, 35 patients with azoospermia underwent an infertility workup, which included transrectal ultrasonography.
Results:
Sonograms of 10 of the 35 patients were normal; 8 patients had enlarged seminal vesicles containing cysts, 6 had ejaculatory duct dilation, 5 had seminal vesicle calcification, 3 had seminal vesicle atrophy-hypoplasia and 3 patients had midline prostatic cysts.
Conclusion:
Transrectal sonography is a useful modality to evaluate seminal duct abnormalities, some of which may cause azoospermia.
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