Vol. 9, Issue 7, Part E (2023)

Aim: To determine and compare the diagnostic value of strain elastography in fertile and infertile men, and to correlate the results of strain elastography with semen parameters and hormone profiles of the patients.

Study design: Comparative cross-sectional study.

Study period: June 2022 – May 2023 for a period of 1 year

Infertile group: Men between 20-45 years of age, clinically. diagnosed with primary infertility and with abnormal semen analysis and did not receive any previous fertility treatment.

Fertile group: Men between 20-45 years of age with normal semen analysis.

Sample size: 82

Inclusion Criteria: Infertile group - Men between 20-45 years of age, clinically diagnosed with primary infertility and with abnormal semen analysis and did not receive any previous fertility treatment.

Fertile Group: Men between 20-45 years of age with normal semen analysis.

Results: The mean testicular volume was higher in Group 2 compared to Group 1. This implies that higher the testicular volume, more the number of seminiferous tubules, which in turn produces more sperm. Therefore, the testicular volume is directly proportional to the sperm count. However the testicular volume was not significantly different between the groups.

A previous study by Pinggera et al. [5] showed that there was increased vascular resistance in those patients with abnormal sperm features compared to the normal patients. It also stated that there was no significant difference in the testicular volumes.

A study by Biogiotti et al. showed that the RI and peak systolic velocity (PSV) were significantly higher in infertile men with varicocele and the RI values were different between azoospermic and oligozoospermic patients.

Study by Ackar et al. showed that intra-testicular arterial resistance and testicular volume did not differ between infertile men with subclinical varicoceles and infertile men without varicoceles.

Conclusion: Testicular volume was not significantly different between infertile and fertile men.

Resistive index of the intraparenchymal arteries did not show any difference between infertile and fertile men.

The strain value and strain ratios were significantly higher in infertile men with abnormal semen parameters as compared to those with normal semen analysis, and the strain elastography results were found to be significantly different in patients with abnormal sperm counts.