Objectives: Based on comparative analyses of the precision as well as reliability of the diagnostic results on fine-needle vasography (FNV) and transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) in the diagnosis of patients who were suspected of having ejaculatory duct obstruction (EDO), this paper aims to demonstrate whether or not FNV techniques still constitute the backbone of diagnostic imaging used in obstructive azoospermia of EDO. Materials and Methods: From July 2005 to December 2008, opening fine-needle punctuation and vasography were performed under local anesthesia in 37 infertile male patients in our center, all of whom were suspected of having bilateral EDO. The diagnostic criteria of these infertile males included characteristic changes of TRUS and/or characteristic changes of semen analysis. Comparative analyses were made of the diagnostic results of the two methods. Results: In the 37 male patients, 19 (51.35%) had been confirmed with pathognomonic findings of both semen analyses and TRUS on complete EDO. Of the others, 18 patients (48.65%) testified with only pathognomonic findings of TRUS but not the typical characteristics on semen analyses. When compared with diagnostic results via FNV however, there were only 5 patients (13.51%) who could be confirmed as having bilateral EDO, 16/37 showed obstruction of the epididymis and proximal vas deferens, 7/37 showed bilateral vasal multiple obstruction, 2 showed unilateral EDO and multiple obstruction of the contralateral vas deferens, and the other 6 patients showed unilateral vasal multiple obstruction and obstruction on the contralateral epididymis and proximal vas deferens. Free flow of the contrast medium could be defined into the bladder by vasography in 23 patients. Of the 23 patients, 12 were suspected of having delayed evacuation based on more than 50% contrast medium remaining inside their seminal vesicles after exhaustion of urine. Conclusion: Our analyses suggest that despite its advantages of being non-invasive, the diagnostic effect of TRUS is limited by both accuracy and reliability. In contrast, although an invasive radiographic imaging method, FNV has been proven as being informative when providing preoperative details about obstruction and other symptoms. After 3 years of research we came to the conclusion that opening fine-needle punctuation and vasography have not become outdated, at least recently, and will remain a necessary and effective method to identify diseases and to provide a strictly defined morphology of the seminal vesicle and ductal system for more comprehensive diagnosis of obstructive azoospermia of EDO.

Keywords:
Ejaculatory duct obstruction, Radiographic imaging, Infertility, Vasography, Transrectal ultrasonography
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© 2010 S. Karger AG, Basel
2010
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