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Updated: Jul 25, 2026
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Published on: June 6, 2018
[Analysis of the results with Rigiscan in 93 impotent patients]
A J Bechara1, A R Casabé, P Wizenberg
1Centro de Urología, Nefrología y Andrología, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Objective:
This study was undertaken to evaluate the performance of the Rigiscan in the diagnosis of sexual impotence.
Methods:
Erectile nocturnal activity was evaluated by Rigiscan in 93 patients consulting for impotence; mean age 56.8 years. Diagnosis and treatment were performed between October, 1990 and May, 1992. Follow up is currently ongoing.
Results:
95.1% of the patients with normal recordings had no organic pathology, and 80% of these recordings were observed on the first night of the study. In ruling out organic pathology, the Rigiscan did not have a higher specificity than the report of early morning erection (EME) by the patients (p > 0.05). Seventy three percent of the pathological results on the Rigiscan studies were associated to organic pathology. This test showed a higher sensitivity than the absence of EME (p < 0.01). Although no pathognomonic diagnostic pattern was found, a flat pattern and uncoupling were highly suggestive of organic disorders.
Conclusions:
The Rigiscan is a useful diagnostic tool, especially in patients reporting no EME. Furthermore, the Rigiscan was able to detect almost all the patients with organic pathology.
