ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To explore the correlation between ectasia of the rete testis (ERT) and the volume of seminal vesicle cyst (SVC) in the epididymal head by ultrasonography.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>This study included 36 cases of ERT diagnosed by color Doppler ultrasonography and complicated with SVC in the epididymal head (case group), and another 44 SVC cases without ERT (control group), all confirmed by surgery or fine-needle aspiration. We analyzed the differences in nationality, age, volume of SVC and resistance index of the afferent artery in the diseased testis between the two groups of patients.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>No statistically significant differences were observed between Chinese Uighurs and Hans (P > 0.05), nor in the mean age between the two groups of patients (P > 0.05). There were significant differences in the mean volume of SVC between the case and control groups ([2.081 +/- 1.147] cm3 vs [1.009 +/- 0.848 ] cm3, P < 0.01), but not in the resistance index of the afferent artery in the diseased testis (0.644 +/- 0.099 vs 0.608 +/- 0.116, P > 0.05).</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>The volume of seminal vesicle cyst in the epididymal head plays a significant role in the formation of ectasia of the rete testis.</p>