Testicular scanning: its efficacy in diagnosing intrascrotal lesions

Radionuclide scanning is a relatively new diagnostic aid for evaluating intrascrotal lesions. The authors present a retrospective analysis of 34 patients who underwent testicular scanning from 1973 to 1978. While the technique may be helpful, misleading results are not uncommon and caution should be exercised in interpreting the results. In this series 22% of scans obtained in cases of testicular torsion and acute epididymitis failed to provide the correct diagnosis. In view of the serious consequence of testicular loss when surgical exploration is delayed, testicular scanning should not be relied upon to the exclusion of other more traditional methods.