Penile plethysmography useful in diagnosis of vasculogenic impotence

Pulse-volume recordings were obtained in 40 normal subjects and 62 patients with history of impotence. In office practice, this study proved to be valuable for estimating penile perfusion. Penile plethysmography is a unique and adaptable screening method for penile blood flow. It measures the contributions of all vessels at the root of the penis. Pulse-volume recordings also were found to correlate with the severity of pelvic angiographic patterns of occlusive disease. Further investigation is necessary to determine the precision with which the method can detect penile blood flow in patients with early vascular compromise.