Polyorquidism: case report comparing ultrasonography and magnetic resonance imaging / Poliorquidismo: relato de caso comparando a ultrassonografia e a ressonância magnética

Abstract Introduction: polyorchidism is an unusual pathology, about 200 cases in the world literature. Case report: we reported a case of polyorchidism in a 16-year-old male patient diagnosed by ultrasound and confirmed by magnetic resonance imaging. Discussion: most of the cases presented, there is a supernumerary testis, but there are reports on more than three, up to five testicles with supranumerical gonads on both sides of the scrotum. The diagnosis is usually performed in late puberty, incidentally, with a painless scrotal mass or at the emergency room, presenting a testicular torsion of the whole hemiscrotum or supernumerary testisalone, and the differential diagnosis should be made with epididymal cyst and spermatocele, besides other extra-testicular masses (hydroceles, varicoceles, lipomas, tumors.) and para-testicular masses (hernias, scrotal calculi). After the initial clinical evaluation, ultrasound is the first line subsidiary exam. Magnetic Resonance Imaging is very helpful, just in case the ultrasound diagnosis is uncertain. The supernumerary testishave the same Magnetic Resonance Imaging characteristics as the normal testes (intermediate signal intensity on T1- weighted images and high signal intensity on T2-weighted images).

Resumo Introdução: o poliorquidismo é uma patologia incomum, contando cerca de 200 casos na literatura mundial. Relato de caso: relatamos um caso de poliorquidismo em um paciente do sexo masculino de 16 anos, diagnosticado por ultrassom e confirmado por ressonância magnética. Discussão: na maioria dos casos apresentados, há um testículo supranumérico, mas há relatos de mais de três, até cinco testículos, com gônadas supranuméricas em ambos os lados do escroto. O diagnóstico geralmente é feito no final da puberdade, aliás, com massa escrotal indolor ou no pronto-socorro, apresentando torção de todo o hemiscroto ou somente do testículo supranumerário, e o diagnóstico diferencial deve ser feito com cisto epididimário e espermatocele, além de outros massas extratesticulares (hidroceles, varicoceles, lipomas, tumores) e massas paratesticulares (hérnias, cálculos escrotais). Após a avaliação clínica inicial, o ultrassom é a primeira linha do exame subsidiário. A ressonância magnética é muito útil se o diagnóstico por ultrassom não for certo. Os testículos supranumerários têm as mesmas características de ressonância magnética que os testículos normais (intensidade do sinal intermediário nas imagens ponderadas em T1 e alta intensidade do sinal nas imagens ponderadas em T2).

Dogs with Leishmania chagasi infection have semen abnormalities that partially revert during 150 days of Allopurinol and Amphotericin B therapy.

The goal of the present study was to characterize the semen quality of dogs naturally infected with Leishmaniachagasi, and treated with Allopurinol and Amphotericin B. Eight naturally infected and eight non-infected dogs were selected. Following semen collection, progressive motility, vigor, concentration and sperm morphology were evaluated. The seminal patterns in the treated animals were evaluated at the beginning (d0) and at days 30 (d30), 60 (d60) and 150 (d150) of treatment. The progressive motility at d0 (35.7+/-22.3%) was less than that of the control group (77.8+/-7.1%) (P<0.05). The vigor was similar to the control group throughout the treatment (P>0.05). The number of sperm/mL, sperm/ejaculate and sperm/kg of body weight was similar among groups (P>0.05). The percentages of normal spermatozoa of infected and treated animals were similar throughout the treatment and to the control group (69.1+/-8.7%) at d60 (37.5+/-11.2%) and d150 (48.3+/-10.8%) (P>0.05), but smaller at d0 (22.7+/-10.5%) and d30 (28.8+/-15.9%) (P<0.05). A greater percentage of acrosome damage was observed in the control group (3.1+/-2.3%) compared to the d60 (0.1+/-0.2%) (P<0.05). The infected dogs had a greater percentage of principal piece defects at d60 (37.0+/-6.3%) than the control group (16.8+/-7.3%) (P<0.05); and greater percentages of detached normal heads at d0 (28.7+/-19.7%) and d30 (18.5+/-18.5%) than the control group (0.4+/-0.5%) (P<0.05). This reduction in semen quality of the infected animals is suggestive of an epididymal dysfunction. Due to this poor semen quality, caution is recommended when using infected male dogs for reproductive purposes.

Vitamin D3 and androgen receptors in testis and epididymal region of roosters (Gallus domesticus) as affected by epididymal lithiasis.

Epididymal lithiasis is a dysfunction characterized by formation of calcium-rich stones in the epididymal region of roosters, associated with decreased serum testosterone and loss of fertility. The segment most affected by the lithiasis is the efferent ductules, which, in birds, are responsible for reabsorption of calcium and luminal fluid. Therefore, we postulated that epididymal lithiasis could result from local impairment of calcium or fluid homeostasis, culminating in initiation of stone formation. Transepithelial calcium transport depends on vitamin D3 and vitamin D3 receptor (VDR). Based on the fact that VDR are present in efferent ductules, possible changes in the pattern of VDR in roosters affected by the epididymal lithiasis was investigated, to start to gain an understanding of the molecular mechanisms involved in the development of calcium stones. To evaluate the potential impact of androgen reduction, changes in androgen receptor (AR) were also investigated. Both VDR and AR were increased in specific segments of the epididymal region, whereas no alterations were found in the testes of affected animals. The increase in VDR was most likely due to an increase in the number of VDR-positive mononuclear leukocyte infiltrates found in the connective tissue followed by an increase in epithelial receptors. The AR were increased, however, mainly in the epididymal duct epithelium. These results suggest that the vitamin D3 and androgen responsive system may be directly/indirectly involved in the development of the disease.

Pathologic evaluation of testis and epididymis of hairy rams in the semi-arid region of Piaui State / Avaliação patológica de testículos e epidídimos de ovinos deslanados da região semi-árida do Estado do Piauí

The gross and histological examinations of testis and epididymis of 53 crossbred hairy rams in the semi-arid region of Piaui State showed 34 (64.1 percent) animals with pathologic changes: one animal presented (1.9 percent) testicle hipoplasia; 35 (66 percent) degenerative changes, being 13 (24.5 percent) related to testicular degeneration, three (5.7 percent) to intraepithelial cysts in the epididymal epithelia and 19 (35.8 percent) to retention cysts in the epididymis; 11 (20.7 percent) inflammatory alterations, being five (9.4 percent) related to epididymitis, four (7.5 percent) to orchitis and two (3.8 percent) to spermatic granulomas. The animals with hypoplasic testicle, testicular degeneration and inflammatory alterations were classified as sub-fertile(AU)

Os exames macroscópico e microscópico de testículos e epidídimos de 53 ovinos deslanados da região semi-árida do estado do Piauí revelaram34 (64,1 por cento) animais acometidos por processos patológicos, assim distribuídos: um animal (1,9 por cento) apresentou hipoplasia testicular, 35 (66,0 por cento) mostraram alterações degenerativas, sendo 13 (24,5 por cento) casos de degeneração testicular, três (5,7 por cento) de cisto intraepitelial no epidídimo e 19 (35,8 por cento) de cisto de retenção congênita no epidídimo; 11 (20,7 por cento) de alterações inflamatórias, sendo cinco (9,4 por cento) de epididimite, quatro (7,5 por cento) de orquite e dois (3,8 por cento) de granuloma espermático. Os animais com hipoplasia testicular, degeneração testicular e alterações inflamatórias foram classificados como subférteis(AU)

Pathologic evaluation of testis and epididymis of hairy rams in the semi-arid region of Piaui State

The gross and histological examinations of testis and epididymis of 53 crossbred hairy rams in the semi-arid region of Piaui State showed 34 (64.1 percent) animals with pathologic changes: one animal presented (1.9 percent) testicle hipoplasia; 35 (66 percent) degenerative changes, being 13 (24.5 percent) related to testicular degeneration, three (5.7 percent) to intraepithelial cysts in the epididymal epithelia and 19 (35.8 percent) to retention cysts in the epididymis; 11 (20.7 percent) inflammatory alterations, being five (9.4 percent) related to epididymitis, four (7.5 percent) to orchitis and two (3.8 percent) to spermatic granulomas. The animals with hypoplasic testicle, testicular degeneration and inflammatory alterations were classified as sub-fertile

Os exames macroscópico e microscópico de testículos e epidídimos de 53 ovinos deslanados da região semi-árida do estado do Piauí revelaram34 (64,1 por cento) animais acometidos por processos patológicos, assim distribuídos: um animal (1,9 por cento) apresentou hipoplasia testicular, 35 (66,0 por cento) mostraram alterações degenerativas, sendo 13 (24,5 por cento) casos de degeneração testicular, três (5,7 por cento) de cisto intraepitelial no epidídimo e 19 (35,8 por cento) de cisto de retenção congênita no epidídimo; 11 (20,7 por cento) de alterações inflamatórias, sendo cinco (9,4 por cento) de epididimite, quatro (7,5 por cento) de orquite e dois (3,8 por cento) de granuloma espermático. Os animais com hipoplasia testicular, degeneração testicular e alterações inflamatórias foram classificados como subférteis

[Change of pulsatile release and luteinizing hormone response to naloxone related to testicle damage]. / Cambio en la secreción pulsátil y en la respuesta de la hormona luteinizante a la naloxona en relación con el daño testicular.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the pulsatile release of LH, the tone of endogenous opioids and the mass of LH secreted after a naloxone infusion in healthy subjects and patients with normogonadotropic oligospermia (NO) in a model of progressive testicular damage. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Pulsatile secretion of LH was analyzed in a period of 8 hours in a group of healthy subjects (group 3, n=5), in patients with NO and FSH/LH ratio <1.6 (group 1, n=5) and in patients with NO and FSH/LH ratio >1.6 (group 2, n=5). The area under the curve of LH response after naloxone infusion was also calculated. RESULTS: Free serum testosterone concentration was lower (p < 0.01) and estradiol concentration higher in patients with NO than control subjects (1 vs. 3: p = 0.01; 2 vs. 3: p = 0.001). Frequency of pulses in group 1 was 3.33 +/- 0.57/8 h, in group 2: 4 +/- 1/8 h; and in group 3: 2.66 - 0.57/8 h (2 vs. 3 p < 0.01; 2 vs. 1 p = 0.05). The area under the curve after naloxone infusion was 19,300.44 +/- 11,403.31 in group 1, 5696.09 +/- 1753.44 in group 2; and 3080.97 +/- 1159.78 in group 3 (1 vs. 3 Anova p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The data indicate that patients with NO have a subclinical pantesticular failure and that the opioid tone is increased at the initial phase of testicular dysfunction, but it decreases at more advanced stages of testicular damage.

Ultrasound stimulation of rat testes damaged by busulfan.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate whether or not low-intensity ultrasound exposure (20 mW/cm2 average intensity) accelerates the repair of rat germinal epithelium damaged by an antispermatogenic agent. The results from analysis of testicular weight and DNA content, sperm production and epididymal sperm concentration showed that the time needed for the reestablishment of the spermatogenic process following busulfan treatment was not reduced by ultrasound energy suggesting that, in contrast to many other mammalian tissues, the seminiferous epithelium is refractory to ultrasound stimulation.