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Meaning of the Finding of Testicular and Paratesticular Calcifications

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Clues in the Diagnosis of Non-tumoral Testicular Pathology

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Abstract

The systematic practice of ultrasounds in patients with testicular pathology has revealed, in many cases, the presence of both intratesticular and extratesticular calcifications. The combination of clinical data and ultrasound images with histological studies has allowed to know not only the characteristics of those calcifications but, what is more important, their relationship to different diseases. In this chapter ultrasound image has been taken as a starting point as it explores more tissue than histology. Calcifications are classified in testicular and paratesticular. Testicular calcifications are grouped into three sections: testicular microlithiasis, non-microlithiasis testicular calcification (macrocalcification), and tumor-associated calcification. The testicular microlithiasis is defined by the presence of concentric laminated calcifications up to 1 mm diameter (microliths) in the testicular parenchyma. Two types, classic (more than five microliths by ultrasound field) and limited (five or less microliths per ultrasound field) are distinguished. The macrocalcification is defined as any focus of “coarse” calcification that is larger than 1 mm and separated from any intratesticular mass, if any one is present. Paratesticular calcifications can be localized in the epididymis, testis and epididymis appendix, and tunica vaginalis or inside the intravaginal space. In each type of calcification, the most frequent pathology associated with it is studied.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), Department of Anatomy, Histology and Neuroscience, School of Medicine, Madrid, Spain

    Manuel Nistal

  2. School of Medicine, Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM), University Hospital La Paz, Department of Pathology, Madrid, Spain

    Pilar González-Peramato

  3. University Hospital Clinico San Carlos, Department of Urology, Madrid, Spain

    Álvaro Serrano

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  1. Manuel Nistal
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  2. Pilar González-Peramato
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  3. Álvaro Serrano
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Correspondence to Manuel Nistal .

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Nistal, M., González-Peramato, P., Serrano, Á. (2017). Meaning of the Finding of Testicular and Paratesticular Calcifications. In: Clues in the Diagnosis of Non-tumoral Testicular Pathology. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49364-0_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-49364-0_10

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-49364-0

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