Penile Doppler ultrasonography and elastography evaluation in patients with erectile dysfunction

To evaluate the relationship between erection grade, erectile function score, Doppler ultrasonography (US) indexes, and elasticity score (ES) according to Doppler US diagnosis in patients with erectile dysfunction (ED).

Real-time strain type penile elastography was performed during penile Doppler US examination for 88 patients with ED. The diagnosis according to Doppler US was determined. Erection score according to the Erection Hardness Grading Scale was evaluated. A scoring for erectile function was performed with the International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5), and the Sexual Health Inventory for Men (SHIM) was defined. The relationships, according to Doppler diagnosis, of ES, IIEF-5 score, SHIM scale, and erection score were evaluated.

Among the patients, 50 (57%) had abnormal penile Doppler US findings. According to Doppler US findings, patients were classified as normal (n = 38), borderline for arterial insufficiency (n = 4), arterial insufficiency (n = 5), and venous insufficiency (n = 41). The lowest erection hardness grades and IIEF-5 scores were detected in patients with arterial failure. When compared to the normal group, in terms of ES, the arterial failure borderline group and venous failure group had lower scores, and the arterial failure group had a higher score. However, the only significant difference was obtained in the left cavernous body of the venous failure group.

Sonoelastography seems to add additional value for determination of stiffness of the penile cavernous body in routine evaluation of ED.