Evidence map›Paper›PMID 38940912›Full record

ArticleAbdominal radiology (New York)2024

3.0 T diffusion tensor imaging and fiber tractography of the testes in nonobstructive azoospermia.

Ourania Pappa, Loukas Astrakas, Nikoletta Anagnostou, Christina Κ Bougia, Vasileios Maliakas, Nikolaos Sofikitis, Maria I Argyropoulou, Athina C Tsili

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Article in Abdominal radiology (New York), 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

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1citing papers in PubMed
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1 · What the graph read from it

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3 · Its place in the literature

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1 citing paper in PubMed.

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4 · The record

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5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

8 authors.

Ourania PappaDepartment of Clinical Radiology, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ioannina, University Campus, 45110, Ioannina, Greece.
Loukas AstrakasDepartment of Medical Physics, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ioannina, 45110, Ioannina, Greece.
Nikoletta AnagnostouDepartment of Clinical Radiology, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ioannina, University Campus, 45110, Ioannina, Greece.
Christina Κ BougiaDepartment of Clinical Radiology, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ioannina, University Campus, 45110, Ioannina, Greece.
Vasileios MaliakasDepartment of Clinical Radiology, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ioannina, University Campus, 45110, Ioannina, Greece.
Nikolaos SofikitisDepartment of Urology, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ioannina, 45110, Ioannina, Greece.
Maria I ArgyropoulouDepartment of Clinical Radiology, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ioannina, University Campus, 45110, Ioannina, Greece.
Athina C TsiliDepartment of Clinical Radiology, School of Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Ioannina, University Campus, 45110, Ioannina, Greece. atsili@uoi.gr.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo assess the role of 3.0 T Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI) and Fiber Tractography (FT) of the testes in the work-up of nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA).

methodsThis prospective study included consecutive NOA men and controls. A 3.0 T scrotal MRI was performed, including DTI. The testicular apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) were calculated. FT reconstructions were created. The Kruskal-Wallis test, followed by pairwise comparisons, assessed differences in testicular ADC and FA between NOA histologic phenotypes (group 1: hypospermatogenesis; group 2: maturation arrest; and group 3: Sertoli cell-only syndrome) and normal testes. The Mann-Whitney-U test compared ADC and FA between NOA testes with positive and negative sperm retrieval. Visual assessment of the testicular fiber tracts was performed. Fiber tracts fewer in number, of reduced thickness, disrupted and/or disorganized were considered "abnormal". Chi-square tests and binary logistic regression analysis assessed variations in testicular fiber tracts morphology.

resultsTwenty-nine NOA men (mean age: 39 ± 5.93 years) and 20 controls (mean age: 26 ± 5.83 years) were included for analysis. Higher ADC (p < 0.001) and FA (p < 0.001) was observed in NOA testes compared to controls. Differences in FA were found between groups 1 and 3 (0.07 vs 0.10, p = 0.26) and groups 2 and 3 (0.07 vs 0.10, p = 0.03), but not between groups 1 and 2 (p = 0.66). An increase in FA was observed in NOA testes with Sertoli cell-only syndrome compared to hypospermatogenesis and maturation arrest. FA was higher in NOA testes with negative results for the presence of sperm compared to those with positive results (0.09 vs 0.07, p = 0.006). FT showed "abnormal" fiber tracts in NOA testes (p < 0.001).

conclusion3.0 T DTI and FT provide an insight into deranged spermatogenesis in NOA testes.

Indexed as

AzoospermiaDiffusion Tensor ImagingTestisAdultAnisotropyCase-Control StudiesHumansMaleProspective StudiesAzoospermia nonobstructiveDiffusion tensor imagingDiffusion tractographyTestis

Identifiers

PMID38940912

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