Diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance imaging in the detection of testicular torsion: Feasibility study

✍ Scribed by Daisuke Maki; Yuji Watanabe; Masako Nagayama; Takayoshi Ishimori; Akira Okumura; Yoshiki Amoh; Satoru Nakashita; Akihito Terai; Yoshihiro Dodo

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2011
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 312 KB
• Volume: 34
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 1053-1807
• DOI: 10.1002/jmri.22698

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

Purpose:

To investigate the feasibility and usefulness of diffusion‐weighted magnetic resonance imaging in the detection of testicular torsion.

Materials and Methods:

Institutional Review Board approval and informed consent from all participants were obtained. Consecutive 28 patients with acute scrotal symptoms were included in this study. Fat‐suppressed T2‐weighted, dynamic subtraction contrast‐enhanced, and diffusion‐weighted images were obtained in the coronal plane with a 1.5 T MR unit. An apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) map was reconstructed from the diffusion‐weighted images obtained with b‐factor of 0 and 800 s/mm^2^. Comparisons of ADC values between the affected and nonaffected testes were performed with Mann–Whitney's U‐test.

Results:

Diffusion‐weighted and ADC images with diagnostic quality were obtained in 23 out of the 28 patients (82%). In testicular torsion (n = 9), the mean ADC value of the twisted testes was significantly lower than that of the nonaffected testes (0.750 ± 0.297 vs. 1.017 ± 0.165 × 10^−3^ mm^2^/sec, P < 0.05). In other scrotal disorders (n = 14), there was no significant difference in the mean ADC value of the testes between the affected and nonaffected side (P = 0.655). The affected‐to‐nonaffected ratio of ADC value was significantly lower in testicular torsion than that in other scrotal disorders (P < 0.05).

Conclusion:

Diffusion‐weighted imaging of the scrotum with testicular ADC measurement can allow for the detection of testicular torsion without any use of contrast media. J. Magn. Reson. Imaging 2011;. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.