Department of Radiology, King's College Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, UK.
Br J Radiol. 2012 Nov;85 Spec No 1(Spec Iss 1):S59-68. doi: 10.1259/bjr/31818161. Epub 2012 Jul 4.
The investigation of male infertility is assuming greater importance, with male factors implicated as a causal factor in up to half of infertile couples. Following routine history, examination and blood tests, imaging is frequently utilised in order to assess the scrotal contents for testicular volume and morphology. Additionally, this may give indirect evidence of the presence of possible reversible pathology in the form of obstructive azoospermia. Further imaging in the form of transrectal ultrasound and MRI is then often able to categorise the level of obstruction and facilitate treatment planning without resort to more invasive imaging such as vasography. Ultrasound guidance of therapy such as sperm or cyst aspiration and vasal cannulation may also be performed. This article reviews the imaging modalities used in the investigation of male infertility, and illustrates normal and abnormal findings that may be demonstrated.
男性不育的研究正变得越来越重要，男性因素被认为是导致多达一半不孕夫妇不育的原因之一。在进行常规病史、检查和血液检查后，通常会进行影像学检查，以评估阴囊内容物的睾丸体积和形态。此外，这可能会间接提供可能存在可逆转病理的证据，表现为梗阻性无精子症。然后，通常会进行经直肠超声和 MRI 等进一步的影像学检查，以对梗阻程度进行分类，并有助于制定治疗计划，而无需采用更具侵入性的影像学检查，如输精管造影。也可以进行超声引导下的治疗，如精子或囊肿抽吸和输精管插管。本文综述了男性不育症研究中使用的影像学方法，并说明了可能显示的正常和异常发现。
