Scrotal Thermography in Subfertile Males

Summary

Twelve fertile and 40 subfertile males with possible varicoceles have been studied clinically and by scrotal thermography. In ten fertile subjects with no clinical evidence of varicocele, the scrotal temperature was 29.5-31.5 °C on anterior view, and 29.6-32.2 °C on underview, after 10 min equilibration with an ambient temperature of 19 °C. Two fertile controls and 23 subfertile patients had thermographic abnormalities associated with the presence of a varicocele. Seventeen subfertile males suspected of possible varicocele were thermographically normal and were therefore not operated on. Scrotal thermography provides objective evidence of increased scrotal temperature associated with varicocele, which is clinically valuable in the subfertile patient with doubtful clinical findings, in defining whether the varicocele is unilateral or bilateral, and in assessing the results of surgery. Several subfertile patients appeared to derive benefit from reoperation for residual or recurrent varicocele associated with persistent thermographic abnormality.