technetium-tc-99m-stannous-pyrophosphate and Infertility--Male

The association of varicoceles and subfertility has been well documented. Although varicoceles remain the most common surgically correctable cause of male infertility the diagnosis of small varicoceles remains a challenge. We evaluated 40 men with an isotope blood pooling scan. Seven volunteers served as either positive or negative controls. Complete correlation between physical findings and the isotope scan was found. The 6 patients with obvious clinical varicoceles and a stress pattern on semen analysis all had positive scans. The 18 patients with a stress pattern and who were clinically suspected of having a varicocele all had positive scans. Of 9 patients evaluated for infertility with a stress pattern but no clinical evidence of varicocele 6 had positive scans. We believe that the isotope scan will prove to be a useful procedure in the detection of nonpalpable varicoceles in selected subfertile men.

Topics: Adult; Humans; Infertility, Male; Male; Palpation; Polyphosphates; Radionuclide Imaging; Technetium; Technetium Tc 99m Pyrophosphate; Tin Polyphosphates; Varicocele