Assessment of the validity of Doppler sonography in the diagnosis of acute scrotum in boys

Objective: Comparison of preoperative scrotal Doppler sonography and final diagnosis of subsequent exploration in patients with acute scrotum.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of the medical history of 61 patients operated on in The Department of Paediatric and Oncological Surgery in Szczecin in 2008-2014.

Results: Mean patient age (years) with testicular torsion was 12.7 ± 4.0, with torsion of a testicular appendage was 8.6 ± 4.5, and with orchitis or epididymitis was 7.2 ± 8.5. During operation we diagnosed testicular torsion in 28 (45%) patients, torsion of the testicular appendage in 26 (43%), and orchitis or epididymitis in 7 (12%). The specificity of Doppler sonography for testicular torsion was 46%, for torsion testicular appendage 20%, and for orchitis/epididymitis 57%.

Conclusions: Doppler sonography of the scrotum shows limited specificity in the diagnosis of acute scrotum in boys. Surgical exploration is recommended even with apparently normal Doppler sonography examinations.