Difficulties in Doppler auscultation of cavernous arteries of penis

Thirteen patients with normal nocturnal erections and penile pressures were studied in the flaccid penis by Doppler technique. In eleven, compression of a dorsal penile artery caused occlusion of the pulse wave distally over this vessel and also the disappearance of the presumed pulse of the deep cavernosal artery. It is postulated that in the nonerect penis, blood flow within the corpora may be inadequate to be detected by conventional office Doppler equipment.