Herniography--a useful diagnostic method in patients with obscure groin pain

118 adult patients (45 females, 73 males) with obscure inguinal pain but without clinical signs of hernia were investigated with herniography. The examination revealed inguinal hernia in 37 instances (15 females, 22 males; 31.3%). Thirty out of these 37 patients (12 females, 18 males) have been operated on. Two false positive cases of the herniography examination have been encountered, giving a diagnostic specificity of herniography of 93.3% (95% confidence interval 78-99%). Six patients (5 females, 1 male) with a negative result of herniography have been operated on. One hernia was detected among these, i.e. one false negative result of herniography. The remaining 75 patients (25 females, 50 males) with a negative result of herniography have not yet developed any hernia. We conclude that herniography is a valuable radiological investigation for demonstration of adult preclinical hernia.