Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35930758›Full record

ArticleAndrology2022

The European Academy of Andrology (EAA) ultrasound study on healthy, fertile men: An overview on male genital tract ultrasound reference ranges.

Francesco Lotti, Francesca Frizza, Giancarlo Balercia, Arcangelo Barbonetti, Hermann M Behre, Aldo E Calogero, Jann-Frederik Cremers, Felice Francavilla, Andrea M Isidori, Sabine Kliesch and 22 more

Open access · hybridAbstract readMulticenter Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Andrology, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 25 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
25citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
6.6field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

25 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 41 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Guideline
  3. Guideline
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
  8. Article
  9. Article
  10. Recent Trends in the Management of Varicocele.Journal of clinical medicine · 2025
    Review
  11. Review
  12. Review
  13. Review
  14. Article
  15. Article
  16. Article
  17. Review
  18. Article
  19. Article
  20. Review
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

32 authors at 12 institutions in 5 countries.

Francesco LottiAndrology, Female Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, Florence, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-8343-1807
Francesca FrizzaAndrology, Female Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Giancarlo BalerciaEndocrinology Unit, Ospedali Riuniti Ancona, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy.
Arcangelo BarbonettiAndrology Unit, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
Hermann M BehreCenter for Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.
Aldo E CalogeroDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.ORCID 0000-0001-6950-335X
Jann-Frederik CremersDepartment of Clinical and Surgical Andrology, Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, Münster University Hospital, Münster, Germany.
Felice FrancavillaAndrology Unit, Department of Life, Health and Environmental Sciences, University of L'Aquila, L'Aquila, Italy.
Andrea M IsidoriDepartment of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-9037-5417
Sabine KlieschDepartment of Clinical and Surgical Andrology, Centre of Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, Münster University Hospital, Münster, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-7561-4870
Sandro La VigneraDepartment of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, University of Catania, Catania, Italy.ORCID 0000-0002-7113-2372
Andrea LenziDepartment of Experimental Medicine, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
Marios MarcouCenter for Reproductive Medicine and Andrology, Martin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.
Adrian PilatzDepartment of Urology, Pediatric Urology and Andrology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-8072-1841
Olev PoolametsAndrology Unit, Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia.
Margus PunabAndrology Unit, Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia.
Maria Fernanda Peraza GodoyAndrology Department, Fundació Puigvert, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain.
Claudia QuintianAndrology Department, Fundació Puigvert, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain.
Osvaldo RajmilAndrology Department, Fundació Puigvert, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, Instituto de Investigaciones Biomédicas Sant Pau (IIB-Sant Pau), Barcelona, Spain.ORCID 0000-0003-1987-9206
Gianmaria SalvioEndocrinology Unit, Ospedali Riuniti Ancona, Polytechnic University of Marche, Ancona, Italy.
Osama ShaeerDepartment of Andrology, Kasr El Aini Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
Wolfgang WeidnerDepartment of Urology, Pediatric Urology and Andrology, Justus Liebig University, Giessen, Germany.
Elisa MaseroliAndrology, Female Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Sarah CiprianiAndrology, Female Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Elisabetta BaldiAndrology, Female Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Selene Degl'InnocentiAndrology, Female Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Giovanna DanzaEndocrinology Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Anna Lucia CaldiniDepartment of Laboratory, Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy.
Alessandro TerreniDepartment of Laboratory, Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy.
Luca BoniClinical Trials Coordinating Center, Toscano Cancer Institute, University Hospital Careggi, Florence, Italy.
Csilla KrauszAndrology, Female Endocrinology and Gender Incongruence Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
Mario MaggiEndocrinology Unit, Department of Experimental and Clinical Biomedical Sciences "Mario Serio", University of Florence, Florence, Italy.
University of Florence · ITAzienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria Careggi · ITUniversitat Autònoma de Barcelona · ESJustus-Liebig-Universität Gießen · DEMarche Polytechnic University · ITMartin Luther University Halle-Wittenberg · DESapienza University of Rome · ITTartu University Hospital · EEUniversity Hospital Münster · DEUniversity of Catania · ITUniversity of L'Aquila · ITCairo University · EG

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSo far, male genital tract color-Doppler ultrasound (MGT-CDUS) was not standardized. Recently, the European Academy of Andrology (EAA) published the results of a multicenter study assessing the CDUS characteristics of healthy-fertile men (HFM) to obtain normative parameters.

objectivesTo report the EAA US study (i) standard operating procedures (SOPs) for assessing MGT-CDUS, (ii) main MGT-CDUS normative parameters, and (iii) compare the EAA and previously published "normal" CDUS values.

methodsA cohort of 248 HFM (35.3 ± 5.9 years) was studied, evaluating MGT-CDUS before and after ejaculation following SOPs.

resultsSOPs for MGT-CDUS assessment are summarized here. All subjects underwent scrotal CDUS and 188 men underwent transrectal ultrasound before and after ejaculation. The main CDUS reference ranges and characteristics of the HFM-MGT are reported here. The mean testicular volume was ∼17 mL. The lower limit for right and left testis was 12 and 11 mL, defining testicular hypotrophy. The upper limit for epididymal head, body, tail, and vas deferens was 11.5, 5, 6, and 4.5 mm, respectively. Testicular and epididymal arterial reference ranges are reported. The EAA varicocoele classification is reported. CDUS-varicocoele was detected in ∼37% of men. Prostate mean volume was ∼25 mL, while lower and upper limits were 15 and 35 mL, defining hypotrophy and enlargement, respectively. Prostate arterial reference ranges are reported. Prostate calcifications and inhomogeneity were frequent; midline prostatic cysts were rare and small. Ejaculatory duct abnormalities were absent. The upper limit for periprostatic venous plexus was 4.5 mm. Lower and upper limits of seminal vesicles (SV) anterior-posterior diameter were 6 and 16 mm, defining hypotrophy or dilation, respectively. Seminal vesicle volume and ejection fraction reference ranges are reported. SV-US abnormalities were rare. Deferential ampullas upper limit was 6 mm. A discussion on the EAA and previously published "normal" CDUS values is reported here.

conclusionsThe EAA findings will help in reproductive and general male health management.

Indexed as

AndrologyInfertility, MaleVaricoceleGenitalia, MaleHumansMaleReference Valueshealthy, fertile menmale genital tract ultrasoundprostate and seminal vesicles reference ranges and normative parametersscrotal and transrectal ultrasoundscrotal organs reference ranges and normative parameters

Identifiers

PMID35930758
PMCPMC9828651
OpenAlexW4289948186

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.