Measurement of Testicular Volume in Smaller Testes: How Accurate Is the Conventional Orchidometer?

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of different methods, including the Seager orchidometer (SO) and ultrasonography (US), for assessing testicular volume of smaller testes (testes volume less than 18 mL). Moreover, the equations used for the calculations-the Hansen formula (length [L] 3) years, were included. They all had advanced prostate cancer and were admitted for orchiectomy. Before the procedure, all the testes were assessed using SO and US. The dimensions were then input into each equation to obtain the volume estimates. The testicular volume by water displacement was 8.1 6 3.5 mL. Correlation coefficients (R 2 ) of the 2 different methods (SO, US) to the gold standard were 0.70 and 0.85, respectively. The calculated testicular volumes were 9.2 6 3.9 mL (measured by SO, equation A), 11.9 6 5.2 mL (measured by SO, equation C), 7.3 6 4.2 mL (measured by US, equation A), 6.5 6 3.3 mL (measured by US, equation B) and 8.9 6 4.5 mL (measured by US, equation C). Only the mean size measured by US and volume calculated with the Hansen equation (equation A) and the mean size measured by US and volume calculated with the Lambert equation (equation C) showed no significant differences when compared with the volumes estimated by water displacement (mean difference 0.81 mL, P 5 .053, and 0.81 mL, P 5 .056, respectively). Based on our measurements, we categorized testicular volume by different cutoff values (7.0 mL, 7.5 mL, 8.0 mL, and 8.5 mL) to calculate a new constant for use in the Hansen equation. The new constant was 0.59. We then reexamined the equations using the new 0.59 constant, and found that the equation Volume (V) 5 L 6 W 2 6 0.59 was the best for describing testicular volume among our subjects (difference between the new equation and the gold standard of water displacement 5 0.19 mL, P 5 .726). We also found that US was more precise in measuring testicular dimensions. We propose a new formula, V 5 L 6 W 2 6 0.59, to assess the volumes of smaller testes.

Size of testes, ovaries, uterus and breast buds by ultrasound in healthy full-term neonates ages 0–3 days

“…Such palpation-based methods overestimate size because the epididymis is included in the palpable volume [4,22]. This overestimate is especially pronounced in neonates, where the epididymis is larger relative to the testis than in older boys or men [23]. In addition, the recorded size is limited to the available bead sizes.…”

Penile Length and Testicular Volume in Newborns

“…Since the orchidometer has a minimum reading of 1 ml and the values observed in index study were less than this minimum value, the authors improvised by making plasticine ellipsoid models, resembling Prader orchidometer beads. The improvised beads ranged in volume from 0.2 ml to 0.9 ml, in consecutive increments of 0.1 ml, and were crafted using water displacement method [12][13][14]. For all the parameters 2 consecutive readings were taken and the mean was recorded.…”

Preliminary study of letrozole use for improving spermatogenesis in non-obstructive azoospermia patients with normal serum FSH

“…2 Testicular volume (cm 3 ) was measured by ultrasonography using the three-diameter technique ((length3width3 height)30.71). 7 A differential diagnosis between NOA and OA was determined using the bilateral scrotal duplex examination in all patients. A peak systolic velocity of the testicular arteries that was greater than 9 cm s 21 was considered sufficient for an NOA diagnosis.…”