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Evaluation of penile erection rigidity in healthy men using virtual touch tissue quantification
Xiaozhi Zheng1, Ping Ji, Hongwei Mao
1Department of Ultrasound, The Fourth Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University (The First People's Hospital of Yancheng), 14 Yuehe Road, Yancheng 224006, Jiangsu Province, P.R. China.
Radiology and Oncology
|October 19, 2012
Summary
Virtual Touch Tissue Quantification (VTTQ) measures penile rigidity changes during erection. This technique effectively quantifies shear wave velocity (SWV) to assess erectile function.
Area of Science:
- Urology
- Medical Imaging
- Biophysics
Background:
- Penile rigidity is crucial for erectile function.
- Objective assessment of penile rigidity is challenging.
- Shear wave velocity (SWV) offers a potential quantitative measure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe penile SWV values using Virtual Touch Tissue Quantification (VTTQ).
- To evaluate the clinical utility of VTTQ in assessing penile rigidity during erection.
- To correlate SWV changes with different grades of penile erection.
Main Methods:
- VTTQ was performed on 37 healthy male volunteers.
- SWV values of the glans penis, corpus penis, and radix penis were measured.
- Erection grades were documented, and SWV was compared across grades.
Main Results:
- Axial and radial SWV values significantly decreased with increasing erection grade (0 to 4).
- At Grade 4, SWV was less than one-third of Grade 0 values.
- Statistically significant reductions (P<0.001) were observed in all penile regions and directions.
Conclusions:
- VTTQ provides objective, numerical measurements of penile rigidity.
- VTTQ effectively and sensitively indicates changes in penile rigidity during erection.
- This technique offers a novel approach for assessing erectile function.
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