Imaging Directorate, Level 6, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, UK.
Br J Radiol. 2014 Feb;87(1034):20130603. doi: 10.1259/bjr.20130603. Epub 2013 Dec 5.
To establish whether there is a consensus regarding the significance of testicular microlithiasis and a strategy for managing patients with this condition, amongst ultrasound practitioners in the UK.
An electronic questionnaire was distributed to 1482 members of the British Medical Ultrasound Society (BMUS), requesting information from ultrasound practitioners involved in scrotal ultrasound about their interpretation of the risk associated with testicular microlithiasis and their departmental or personal recommendations for managing patients with this condition.
Responses were obtained from 221 BMUS members. Analysis demonstrated a wide variation in the significance attributed to the discovery of testicular microlithiasis and the risk of subsequent development of testicular germ cell tumours. There was also great variation in strategies for management of patients with testicular microlithiasis, including the need for surveillance ultrasound, amongst ultrasound practitioners regardless of their job description.
Lack of consensus shown by this study highlights significant differences across the UK in managing patients with testicular microlithiasis and validates the importance of guidance currently being formulated by the European Society of Urogenital Radiology.
We believe that this is the first survey to be conducted amongst imaging specialists in the UK regarding testicular microlithiasis and demonstrates that there is currently no uniform practice in managing patients with this condition.
在英国的超声医师中，确定对于睾丸微石症的意义是否存在共识，以及管理该病症患者的策略。
向英国医学超声学会（BMUS）的 1482 名成员分发了一份电子问卷，要求参与阴囊超声检查的超声医师提供有关其对睾丸微石症相关风险的解释以及他们所在部门或个人对管理该病症患者的建议的信息。
从 221 名 BMUS 成员中获得了回复。分析表明，对于睾丸微石症的发现及其随后发生睾丸生殖细胞肿瘤的风险的意义存在很大差异。管理睾丸微石症患者的策略也存在很大差异，包括是否需要进行超声监测，而无论超声医师的工作描述如何，都存在这种差异。
本研究表明缺乏共识，突出了英国在管理睾丸微石症患者方面存在显著差异，并验证了目前由欧洲泌尿生殖放射学会制定的指导意见的重要性。
我们相信，这是首次在英国的影像专家中进行的关于睾丸微石症的调查，表明目前在管理该病症患者方面没有统一的做法。
