Testicular Microlithiasis

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Abstract
OBJECTIVE. Considerable accrued evidence points to an association between testicular microlithiasis, intratubular germ cell neoplasia, and testicular tumor. This study assesses both the prevalence of testicular microlithiasis revealed on sonography in a referred population and the concurrent tumor risk.MATERIALS AND METHODS. Over a 32-month period (April 1996 through November 1998), 4892 scrotal sonographic examinations were performed in 4819 patients at four referral centers. All patients underwent high-resolution (7- to 10-MHz) imaging. Using a computerized word search (n = 4102; testicular microlithiasis, calcification, microliths, calcific foci, tumor, neoplasm, cancer, hyperecho, hypoecho, heterogen, and carcinoma) and manual retrieval (n = 790), cases of tumor, testicular microlithiasis (>5 microliths per sonogram), and testicular microlithiasis plus tumor were pulled and retrospectively reviewed. The presence and type of tumor were confirmed at histology after orchidectomy.RESULTS. Fifty-four tumor...