The value of radionuclide scintigraphy in the diagnosis of varicocele

Varicocele is an important etiological factor of male infertility which is caused by retrograd venous flow through the internal spermatic vein. It is most common surgically correctable cause of male infertility. The term of "subclinical varicocele" is used when there is not any manifest clinical evidence of varicocele or if there is a suspicious varicocele diagnosis on clinical examination. Several methods are available to detect spermatic venous reflux. These methods include scrotal contact thermography, Doppler sonography, radionuclide scintigraphy and gonadal venography. Between January 1989-July 1990, 52 varicocele patients have been evaluated in our infertility polyclinics. Among the others, radionuclide angiography have been used as a diagnostic method. In this study, we concluded that radionuclide scintigraphy was not sensitive enough to detect subclinical varicocele [Turk J Med Res 1993; 11(6): 295-298]