Virtual touch tissue imaging quantitative evaluation on normal adult testicular spermatogenesis / 中国医学影像技术

ABSTRACT

Objective To measure the shear wave velocity (SWV) of normal adult testis using virtual touch tissue imaging quantification(VTIQ), and to analyze the main impact factors of testicular stiffness and the value of VTIQ in evaluation of testicular spermatogenesis. Methods Totally 200 normal adult male volunteers were recruited and underwent routine testicular ultrasonography for the measurement of bilateral testicular volume. VTIQ technique was used to measure SWV of the upper, middle and lower poles of the bilateral testis. The differences of SWV in bilateral testis and testis of different age groups were compared. The correlation of SWV with age, testicular volume and sperm motility and density was analyzed. Results SWV of both the left and right lateral testis of 200 normal adult males were (1.23±0.18)m/s, and no statistically significant difference was found (t=-0.376, P=0.710). There were significant differences of SWV among the 21-30 years old group, 31-40 years old group, 41-50 years old and 51-60 years old group (all P<0.001). Testicular SWV was positively correlated with age (r=0.454, P<0.001) and negatively correlated with testicular volume, sperm motility and density (r=-0.649, -0.668, -0.675, all P<0.001). Conclusion VTIQ technique can quantitatively measure testicular tissue hardness, which may be used to initially evaluate testicular spermatogenesis.