The Application Value of Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound in Testicular Occupied Lesions.

OBJECTIVE: To discuss the clinical application value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) in testicular occupied lesions. METHODS: Nine conventional-ultrasound-found testicular occupied lesions which underwent CEUS meantime were analyzed retrospectively. The CEUS perfusion pattern was compared with the surgical pathological result or follow-up findings. RESULTS: Among all the 9 testicular occupied lesions, there were 5 testicular malignant tumors, 1 testicular benign tumor, 1 testicular tuberculosis, and 2 testicular hematomas. CEUS diagnosed 6 testicular malignant tumors, 1 testicular benign tumor, and 2 testicular hematomas, and its diagnostic accuracy was about 88.9%. CONCLUSION: CEUS has high clinical application value in the differential diagnoses of benign and malignant testicular occupied lesions.

Male genital tract tuberculosis: A comprehensive review of imaging findings and differential diagnosis.

Urogenital tuberculosis is the most common form of extrapulmonary tuberculosis. Genital organ involvement occurs as a continuum of urinary tract tuberculosis and often presents a diagnostic challenge due to the non-specific nature of the symptoms. Delay in diagnosis may lead to complications such as infertility and perineoscrotal sinuses. Imaging plays an important role in raising timely suspicion of tuberculosis. In this article, we describe the imaging findings of male genital tuberculosis and the differential diagnosis. High-resolution ultrasonography (HRUS) is the best modality for assessing the epididymis, testis, scrotum and vas deferens, whereas MRI is optimal for evaluating the prostate, seminal vesicles and ejaculatory ducts. Epididymis is the most common site of genital tuberculosis, and presents as a nodular lesion limited to the tail or as diffuse enlargement. The proximal vas deferens is also frequently involved due to anatomical contiguity and shows diffuse or nodular thickening. Advanced cases may show pyocele formation and scrotal wall sinuses. Testicular involvement is almost always secondary to epididymal tuberculosis and presents as single or multiple nodules, diffuse enlargement, or the 'miliary' pattern. Isolated testicular involvement should raise suspicion of malignancy. Tuberculosis of the prostate is often asymptomatic. The most common imaging manifestations are nodules and the diffuse forms, which may later evolve into abscesses. Fibrosis and calcification occur with healing. Seminal vesicle and ejaculatory duct involvement with fibrosis may cause infertility. Awareness of the imaging findings would enable the radiologist to raise timely suspicion, so that prompt treatment is initiated and complications are prevented.

Is follow-up ultrasound necessary after acute epididymitis? A retrospective analysis from a large university hospital.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the role of scrotal ultrasound in the follow-up after epididymitis for underlying serious testicular pathologies, which could be overseen in the acute phase. METHODS: Retrospective chart reviews were performed for patients diagnosed with acute epididymitis at Herlev-Gentofte Hospital between 2006 and 2013. Patients were included if they had received the diagnosis after a clinical evaluation in the emergency department and had subsequently undergone antibiotic treatment and a follow-up scrotal ultrasound at a later date. RESULTS: Overall, 118 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria. The median age was 45 years (range = 18-80). The follow-up ultrasound scans showed no signs of significant pathology in 92/118. Incidental findings of hydroceles, spermatoceles, and varicoceles were made in eight, five and five of the 118, respectively. One patient had testicular tuberculosis and one had neglected testicular torsion. Six patients were diagnosed with suspicious testicular lesions and underwent surgery. Cancer was confirmed in four men (27, 32, 40, and 45 years old). CONCLUSIONS: Epididymitis can be diagnosed and treated correctly without scrotal ultrasound in the majority of cases. However, the risk of underlying testicular cancer should be kept in mind. Patients below 50 years of age without bacteriuria and patients with persistent symptoms after antibiotic treatment should be referred to an urologist for a re-evaluation or for a follow-up ultrasound.

[Accidental find of scrotal tuberculosis on a computed tomography].

The prevalence of tuberculosis in Denmark is low compared to many developing countries. It is most commonly found in socially marginalized communities. We present an unusual case of a man, who was referred to urological treatment as a computed tomography had showed a tumour with a suspicious process in the left scrotum and in relation to the left seminal vesicle. Histopathology of the testis showed granuloma formation. A Ziehl-Neelsen staining showed no acid-fast bacilli, but polymerase chain reaction revealed Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Antituberculous treatment was commenced.

First reported case of fulminant TB with progression of infection from lungs to the genitourinary region.

Although tuberculosis (TB) is a curable disease, it continues to be one of the leading infections associated with death in the world. Extra-pulmonary TB (EPTB) occurs in approximately 10% of the total cases, presenting with lymph nodes, pleura, bone and genitourinary tract as the most common locations. Genitourinary tuberculosis, the second most common EPTB, is very difficult to diagnose unless there is a high index of suspicion. Isolated TB orchitis or prostatitis without clinical evidence of renal involvement is a rare entity among genitourinary tuberculosis. We presented the first reported case of TB prostatitis and orchitis associated with pulmonary TB and the presence of an acute massive caseous pneumonia in an immunocompetent man. Despite the anti-TB therapy, the patient presented a rapid progression of disease and deterioration of general conditions taking to death, which occurred four days after TB treatment had started. Disseminated TB is a relatively uncommon cause of acute massive caseous pneumonia; however, there should always be suspicion of the disease, since it is a potentially treatable cause. This rare case supports the assertion that TB should be considered as an important differential diagnosis of genitourinary tumors irrespective of evidence of active TB elsewhere in the body.

First reported case of fulminant TB with progression of infection from lungs to the genitourinary region

ABSTRACT Although tuberculosis (TB) is a curable disease, it continues to be one of the leading infections associated with death in the world. Extra-pulmonary TB (EPTB) occurs in approximately 10% of the total cases, presenting with lymph nodes, pleura, bone and genitourinary tract as the most common locations. Genitourinary tuberculosis, the second most common EPTB, is very difficult to diagnose unless there is a high index of suspicion. Isolated TB orchitis or prostatitis without clinical evidence of renal involvement is a rare entity among genitourinary tuberculosis. We presented the first reported case of TB prostatitis and orchitis associated with pulmonary TB and the presence of an acute massive caseous pneumonia in an immunocompetent man. Despite the anti-TB therapy, the patient presented a rapid progression of disease and deterioration of general conditions taking to death, which occurred four days after TB treatment had started. Disseminated TB is a relatively uncommon cause of acute massive caseous pneumonia; however, there should always be suspicion of the disease, since it is a potentially treatable cause. This rare case supports the assertion that TB should be considered as an important differential diagnosis of genitourinary tumors irrespective of evidence of active TB elsewhere in the body.

[Tuberculosis of the prostate].

Genitourinary tract is the second most common site where extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) occurs. Genitourinary TB is notable for a latent clinical course and difficult diagnosis. The paper presents clinical observations of two patients treated in a urology department of a general public hospital. One of them was diagnosed with tuberculosis of the prostate, MTB+. In the other, TB of the prostate was suspected based on pathologic assessment of the surgical specimen after surgery for prostate cancer.

[Heterogeneous testicle on ultrasonography: consider tuberculosis after cancer in endemic zone]. / Testicule hétérogène a l'echographie: penser egalement a la tuberculose après le cancer en zone d'endémie.

The purpose of this report is to describe findings of clinical examination and imaging in a 27-year-old man admitted for nonpainful left testicular enlargement. Initial diagnosis was testicular cancer based on ultrasonography and association with pulmonary metastasis. This diagnosis was revised after histological study demonstrated testicular tuberculosis.

F-18 FDG PET/CT imaging of solitary genital tuberculosis mimicking recurrent lymphoma.

A 65-year-old man who had multiple lymph nodes swelling was pathologically diagnosed with diffuse large B cell lymphoma. After initiation of induction chemotherapy, F-18 FDG PET/CT showed a significantly decreased extent of previous lymphomatous lesions except for 2 newly developed focal hypermetabolic lesions in the prostate and left epididymis. The specimens from the prostate and orchiectomy revealed tuberculosis lesions. After a 3-month antituberculosis regimen, there was definitively decreased glucose uptake in the prostate on F-18 FDG PET. F-18 FDG PET may be helpful for characterizing genitourinary tuberculosis and monitoring antituberculosis treatment.

Tuberculous epididymitis following intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin immunotherapy.

Intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is widely used as an adjuvant therapy in the treatment of superficial bladder cancer. BCG is administered as a live, attenuated form of Mycobacterium bovis, and acts as an immunomodulary agent to delay tumor progression. BCG is generally well tolerated, though localized and systemic infectious complications may occur. A literature search revealed that tuberculous epididymitis is a rarely reported complication of intravesical BCG therapy. We report the case of an 82-year-old male who developed tuberculous epididymitis while undergoing intravesical BCG treatment for transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder. Right orchiectomy was performed, followed by rifampin and isoniazid therapy once M. bovis was identified as the infectious agent. The patient responded well to these treatments, and made a full recovery. Tuberculous epididymitis is an uncommon complication resulting from intravesical BCG therapy, which is likely explained by retrograde migration from the prostatic urethra in this case.

[Diagnosis and differential diagnosis value of ultrasound in epididymal mass].

OBJECTIVE: To elevate the diagnosis and differential diagnosis levels of epididymal mass by sonography. METHODS: This was a retrospective study of 179 cases of epididymal mass treated by surgery in our hospital between 1990 and 2005. The analysis was focused on pathological and sonographic features. RESULTS: 179 patients with mean age of 51.4 +/- 14.7 were enrolled. The epididymal mass was classified into four groups: epididymal cyst (n = 98), nonspecific epididymitis (n = 27), tuberculous epididymitis (n = 33) , and epididymal tumor (n = 21). Epididymal cyst could be easily diagnosed by ultrasound, the diagnostic rate was 93.8%, but nonspecific epididymitis and tuberculous epididymitis were hard to differentiate, complicating with multiple organs lesions may distinguish tuberculous from nonspecific epididymitis. Tuberculous epididymitis could be easily diagnosed when cold abscess, calcification and sinus tract emerged. The majority epididymal tumors were benign, and malignant cases were rarely seen. Patient's history, physical examination and sonographic features were all essential to make a right diagnosis. CONCLUSION: Ultrasound features may be helpful to the differential diagnosis of epididymal mass and ultrasound should be the first choice of image detection in epididymal lesions.

Differential diagnosis of focal epididymal lesions with gray scale sonographic, color Doppler sonographic, and clinical features.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether focal epididymal lesions can be differentiated on gray scale sonographic, color Doppler sonographic, and clinical features. METHODS: This was a retrospectiveanalysis of 60 focal epididymal lesions in 57 patients. Focal epididymal lesions were classified into 3 groups: nonspecific epididymitis (n = 43), tuberculous epididymitis (n = 10), and benign epididymal masses (n = 7). The following gray scale sonographic, color Doppler sonographic, and clinical features were analyzed: size, location, echogenicity, and heterogeneity of the lesion; hypoechoic or hyperechoic rim presence; hydrocele presence; degree of blood flow in the lesion; patient's age; duration of symptoms; and scrotal tenderness. RESULTS: Lesions were larger in patients with tuberculous epididymitis than in those with either nonspecific epididymitis (P = .007) or benign epididymal masses (P = .0017). The hypoechoic or hyperechoic rim of the lesion was more common in patients with benign epididymal masses than in those with nonspecific epididymitis (P = .002). The degree of blood flow in the lesion was greater in patients with nonspecific epididymitis than in those with either tuberculous epididymitis (P = .0019) or benign epididymal masses (P < .001). The duration of symptoms was shorter in patients with nonspecific epididymitis than in those with either tuberculous epididymitis (P < .001) or benign epididymal masses (P = .0092). The frequency of scrotal tenderness was higher in patients with nonspecific epididymitis than in those with either tuberculous epididymitis (P < .001) or benign epididymal masses (P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Gray scale sonographic, color Doppler sonographic, and some clinical features may be helpful for differential diagnosis of focal epididymal lesions.

Preoperative diagnosis of bilateral tuberculous epididymo-orchitis following intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin therapy for superficial bladder carcinoma.

We report a case of bilateral tuberculous epididymo-orchitis following intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) therapy for superficial bladder carcinoma in which the diagnosis was made by ultrasonography prior to surgery. The US findings include heterogeneous enlargement of the epididymis and testis, associated with scrotal-skin thickening and scrotal sinus track. Patients with bladder carcinoma treated with intravesical BCG therapy, the presence of scrotal swelling with scrotal-skin thickening and epididymal involvement suggests tuberculous epididymo-orchitis rather than testicular tumour. It is important to be aware of this rare complication and to be familiar with the ultrasonographic features so that appropriate treatment can be given.

Computerized tomography findings of abdominal tuberculosis: report of 19 cases.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal tuberculosis usually presents with general symptoms and obscure abdominal complaints for which computerized tomography is often the first imaging study. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the CT findings of abdominal tuberculosis. METHODS: The CT scans of 19 patients (10 men and 9 women aged 20-85 years) with proven abdominal tuberculosis were retrospectively reviewed to define the location and extent of the disease. The patients were referred for the study mainly with general systemic symptoms. Additional abdominal complaints were present in four, including acute abdomen in one. Two had symptoms deriving from the urinary tract. Nine patients had recently arrived from high prevalence countries; five of them and two others were positive for human immunodeficiency virus. Three patients had a family history of tuberculosis; one had previously been treated for tuberculosis and four others had an underlying chronic disease. The diagnosis of tuberculosis was established by standard microbiological and histological techniques. RESULTS: We divided the disease manifestations into intraperitoneal (n = 13) and genitourinary involvement (n = 6). Peritoneal tuberculosis was fairly common, characterized by ascites, omental and mesenteric infiltration, and smooth thickening of the parietal peritoneum. One oncology patient had a false positive Tc-99m CEA isotope scanning, suggesting tumor recurrence. Genitourinary disease manifested mainly as hydronephrosis and calcifications. Three patients had pulmonary tuberculosis as well. CONCLUSION: The CT findings of abdominal tuberculosis may mimic various diseases, mainly diffuse peritoneal malignancy. We emphasize the need to consider tuberculosis in the differential diagnosis in patients with obscure abdominal symptoms, especially with multi-organ involvement. A high degree of clinical suspicion and familiarity with the abdominal CT manifestations allow early diagnosis of this treatable disease.

Chronic tuberculous epididymitis: color Doppler US findings with histopathologic correlation.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to determine the color Doppler features of tuberculous epididymitis and to correlate these findings with histopathologic findings. METHODS: Color Doppler ultrasound (US) findings of 12 histopathologically proven tuberculous epididymitis and tuberculous epididymo-orchitis in 11 consecutive patients were retrospectively analyzed. Color Doppler US findings of tuberculous epididymitis were correlated with histopathologic findings. RESULTS: Color Doppler US findings of tuberculous epididymitis demonstrated no blood flow in the epididymal lesions except for focal linear or spotty flow signals in the peripheral portion. These findings correlated well with pathologic findings; the central portion of the epididymal lesions demonstrated granulomas with caseation necrosis, and the peripheral portion of the epididymal lesions had several medium to small vessels. CONCLUSIONS: Color Doppler US may be helpful for differential diagnosis of tuberculous epididymitis and non-tuberculous epididymitis.