[Testicular microlithiasis: report of 14 cases]

Testicular microlithiasis (TM) is a comparatively rare condition in which calcified congelations fill the lumina of the seminiferous tubules. Using high-frequency linear transducers (10 MHz), TM is easily demonstrated as tiny punctate echogenic foci, which typically do not give an acoustic shadow, and is classified into classic type (CTM) and limited type (LTM) on the basis of the presence of five or more microliths at least on one image of the testes. Fourteen patients were found to have TM, 6 of which were LTM and 8 were CTM. In one patient with CTM, coexisting mixed germ cell tumor (seminoma, embryonal cell carcinoma) was demonstrated. Until further data are available, it seems reasonable to consider patients with TM as having an increased risk of developing a primary testicular tumor.