Penile Trauma and Priapism
摘要
Penile traumas can result from penetrating or non-penetrating injuries. Diagnosis of albugineal disruption must be obtained as soon as possible since early surgical repair significantly reduces the rate of posttraumatic curvature and fibrosis. MR imaging is the modality of choice to investigate the integrity of the tunica albuginea. In expert hands, however, ultrasonography can be as informative as MR. It can detect the exact site of the tear as an interruption of the thin echogenic line of the tunica albuginea. Colour Doppler ultrasonography is the imaging modality of choice to evaluate patients with high-flow priapism. Diagnosis of low-flow and stuttering priapism is based on history and clinics. Colour Doppler ultrasonography can show patent cavernosal arteries either with high-velocity, high-resistance flows, or low-velocity/absent cavernosal artery flows. Focal or diffuse cavernosal fibrosis can be identified with ultrasound as echogenic areas in the cavernosal bodies or diffuse echogenicity of the corpora cavernosa.