Home > Encyclopedia of Medicine > Scrotal Ultrasound

Definition

Scrotal ultrasound is an imaging technique used for the diagnosis of suspected abnormalities of the scrotum. It uses harmless, high-frequency sound waves to form an image. The sound waves are reflected by scrotal tissue to form a picture of internal structures. It is not invasive and involves no radiation.

Purpose

Ultrasound of the scrotum is the primary imaging method used to evaluate disorders of the testicles and surrounding tissues. It is used when a patient has acute pain in the scrotum. Some of the problems for which the use of scrotal ultrasound is valuable include an absent or undescended testicle, an inflammation problem, testicular torsion, a fluid collection, abnormal blood vessels, or a mass (lump or tumor).

A sudden onset of pain in the scrotum...