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Published on: November 22, 2024
[Comparison of cavernometry and duplex ultrasound in the diagnosis of veno-occlusive erectile dysfunction]
Xavier Gamé1, Abdelouaheb Berrebi, Alain Lostes
1Service d'Urologie, Transplantation Rénale et Andrologie, CHU Rangueil, Toulouse, France. xaviergame@hotmail.com
Objectives:
To compare pulsed duplex ultrasound and cavernometry in the aetiological diagnosis of veno-occlusive erectile dysfunction.
Material And Methods:
Between September 1995 and January 2005, 81 patients with a mean age of 48.45 +/- 12.35 years consulting for erectile dysfunction were investigated by cavernometry and pulsed duplex ultrasound before and after sensitization by intracavernous injection of 10 microg/ml of prostaglandin. The results of these two examinations were compared by the kappa concordance test.
Results:
According to pulsed duplex ultrasound, 54 patients presented veno-occlusive incompetence. According to cavernometry, 56 patients presented veno-occlusive incompetence. The concordance between the results of the two examinations was only moderate (kappa = 0.52, p < 0.0001, 95% CI: 0.5886-0.7967).
Conclusion:
Duplex ultrasound is a first-line examination in a case of suspected organic erectile dysfunction due to a vascular cause. However, due to the limited concordance for the aetiological diagnosis of veno-occlusive erectile dysfunction between duplex ultrasound and cavernometry, cavernometry is still indicated in highly selected cases such as preoperative work-up.
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