Affiliations: [a] Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| [b] Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Radiology, Berlin, Germany
| [c] Berlin Institute of Health, Department of Urology and Berlin Institute for Urologic Research, Berlin, Germany
| [d] University Medical Center Regensburg, Department of Radiology, Regensburg, Germany
Correspondence:
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Corresponding author: Markus H. Lerchbaumer, MD, Department of Radiology, Interdisciplinary Ultrasound Center, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Charité Mitte, Charitéplatz 1, 10117 Berlin, Germany. Tel.: +49 0 30 450 657084; Fax: +49 0 30 450 7557901; E-mail: [email protected].
Abstract: BACKGROUND:Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) has been used as an additional imaging technique in order to clarify testicular findings. CEUS is easy and fast to perform, overcomes the limitations of B-mode US. OBJECTIVE:To evaluate the diagnostic performance of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in the assessment of unclear testicular pathologies. METHODS:CEUS examinations of 45 patients with unclear testicular pathologies between 2012 and 2018 were analyzed retrospectively. Examinations were performed using B-mode, colour Doppler (CCDS) and CEUS after injection of contrast agent (SonoVue®, Bracco) and interpreted by an experienced radiologist (EFSUMB level 3). Reference standard was defined as histopathological report and clinical course. RESULTS:Overall 19 patients presented with a neoplastic lesion, whereas 14 were malignant. Matched to the histopathological report and clinical follow up, CEUS represented a sensitivity of 93% (95% -CI, 69–99), a specificity of 94% (95% -CI, 80–98), a positive predictive value (PPV) of 87% (95% -CI, 62–96) and a negative predictive value (NPV) of 97% (95% -CI, 83–99). CONCLUSION:CEUS is an accurate additional tool to differentiate between testicular alterations when B-mode US and CCDS are uncertain. CEUS may provide additional information and detect early enhancement in small tumor lesions when CCDS comes to its limit.
