[Penile Doppler ultrasound: contribution to the management of erectile dysfunction]

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common multifactorial disease, in most situations arising from an organic or mixed cause. Most cases of ED classified as arterial are linked to endothelial dysfunction in relation to the key factors of cardiovascular risk. ED is an indicator of vascular health in general. It is also a predictor of cardiovascular events, including coronary heart disease. It has also been associated with lower peripheral arterial disease and stroke. At the present time, penile Doppler ultrasound examination is relatively little used in the management of ED, knowledge of the etiologic factors being most often not necessary for therapeutic management, but also because of the absence of standardization. Nonetheless, recent large-scale studies have shown that the vascular nature of ED, based on Doppler parameters recorded after intracavernous injection of vasoactive drugs, was also predictive of cardiovascular events and cardiovascular mortality, warranting greater interest in this test.