Temporal Changes in Shear Wave Elastography and Doppler Ultrasound Parameters for Assessing Erectile Dysfunction

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Medical Imaging
• Biophysics

Background:

• Erectile dysfunction (ED) diagnosis often relies on subjective assessments.
• Objective evaluation of penile tissue elasticity and hardness is crucial for effective ED management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate temporal changes in shear wave elastography (SWE) metrics post-intracavernosal injection (ICI) in different ED subtypes.
• To correlate spectral Doppler ultrasound parameters with penile hardness grades (Schramek classification).

Main Methods:

• Patients with ED were categorized into vascular and non-vascular groups.
• Shear wave elastography (SWE) and spectral Doppler ultrasound (peak systolic velocity, end-diastolic velocity, resistive index) were measured before and at various time points after ICI.
• Penile hardness was graded using the Schramek classification (II-III low hardness, IV-V high hardness).

Main Results:

• A significant interaction between time and group type was found in SWE values, with vascular patients showing a late-phase increase post-ICI.
• SWE values decreased significantly in both groups after ICI.
• Low-hardness group (Schramek II-III) showed higher end-diastolic velocity and lower resistive index compared to the high-hardness group (Schramek IV-V).

Conclusions:

• Shear wave elastography (SWE) effectively reflects dynamic changes in penile tissue elasticity following ICI.
• Integrating SWE with spectral Doppler ultrasound offers a more comprehensive diagnostic approach for ED subtypes and penile hardness assessment.