Introduction

Uses

• Identification of non-palpable testicular lesions.
• Investigation of:
  • Palpable testicular masses.
  • Small or large testicle.
• Location of retained testicles in cryptorchids Testicle: cryptorchidism  .

Advantages

• Low cost.
• Non-invasive.
• Straightforward.
• Short time requirement.
• Rarely requires sedation.
• No known biological risk.
• Allows ultrasound-guided fine needle aspirate or biopsy to be performed.
  Time required will reduce with operator experience.

Disadvantages

• May require patients coat to be clipped.
• Normal sonographic appearance does not exclude disease.
• Abnormal sonographic appearance does not always indicate significant disease.
• Similar sonographic appearance with different diseases.

Potential problems

• Poor transducer-skin contact:
  • Inadequate clipping.
  • Insufficient coupling medium.
• Inadequate restraint of patient.
• Operator inexperience.

Alternatives

• Plain or contrast radiography.

Equipment

Patient preparation

Technique

Normal Anatomy

Abnormalities

Further Reading

Publications

Refereed papers

• Recent references from PubMed and VetMedResource.
• England G C (1995) Ultrasonographic diagnosis of non-palpable Sertoli cell tumours in infertile dogs. J Small Anim Pract 36 (11), 476-480 PubMed.
• Johnston G R, Feeney D A, Johnston S D et al (1991) Ultrasonographic features of testicular neoplasia in dogs - 16 cases (1980-1988). JAVMA 198 (10), 1779-1784 PubMed.
• Johnston G R, Feeney D A, Rivers B et al (1991) Diagnostic imaging of the male canine reproductive organs. Methods and limitations. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 21 (3), 553-89 PubMed.
• Bird K, Rosenfield A T, Taylor K J (1983) Ultrasonography in testicular torsion. Radiology 147 (2), 527-534 PubMed.

Other sources of information

• England G C W (1995) Small Animal Reproductive Ultrasonography. In: Veterinary Ultrasonography. Ed: Goddard P J. CAB International, Cambridge. pp 55-85.