Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41017728›Full record

SynthesisJournal of ultrasound in medicine : official journal of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine2026

Evaluating Male Fetal External Genital Morphology: A Systematic Review of Sonographic Techniques and Normative Values.

Nikit Venishetty, Akash Chauhan, Ishant Goel, Jonathan Balderrama, Maral Demirjian, Lorna Kwan, Ilina D Pluym, Renea Sturm

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of ultrasound in medicine : official journal of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Reference values for Japanese fetal penile length.Journal of medical ultrasonics (2001) · 2026
    Article
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

8 authors.

Nikit VenishettyDepartment of Urology, Keck School of Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, USA.
Akash ChauhanDepartment of Urology, Division of Pediatric Urology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Ishant GoelDepartment of Urology, Division of Pediatric Urology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Jonathan BalderramaDepartment of Urology, Division of Pediatric Urology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Maral DemirjianDepartment of Urology Biostatistical Core, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Lorna KwanDepartment of Urology Biostatistical Core, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Ilina D PluymDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Renea SturmDepartment of Urology, Division of Pediatric Urology, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8030-5637

Funding

Highly Elastic Biomaterial Development for Urethral ApplicationK08DK134868 · NIDDK · UNIV OF NORTH CAROLINA CHAPEL HILL · PI Renea Sturm · 2023 to 2026
$680k
NIDDK NIH HHS K08 DK134868NIDDK NIH HHS K08-DK134868
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Although commonly evaluated, fetal ultrasound assessments of penile length, width, and anogenital distance (AGD) lack standardized measurement techniques. This systematic review aimed to evaluate variability in measurement methods and generate normative growth curves for externally virilized genital development. Following PRISMA guidelines, PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science were searched for studies reporting sonographic measurements of fetal penile length, width, or AGD by gestational age. Exclusion criteria included abnormal genitourinary development, intrauterine growth restriction, non-ultrasound imaging modalities, and non-English publications. Manuscripts were analyzed by a minimum of three reviewers. Data were standardized to mean dimensions and 95% confidence intervals by gestational week. Nine studies met inclusion criteria. Six measured penile length (scrotum to tip), four measured width (widest penile region), and three evaluated AGD (scrotum to anus). Resulting regression equations were y = 0.7862x - 8.4627 (length), y = 0.4209x - 3.1445 (width), and y = 1.0129x - 11.239 (AGD). Quality assessments revealed only 51.97 ± 21.5% of study parameters had a low risk of bias. The resultant growth curves provide a reference for normative development. Standardized assessment protocols and studies of anomalous development are needed to improve measurement consistency and assess the predictive value of these findings.

Indexed as

Genitalia, MaleUltrasonography, PrenatalFemaleHumansMalePregnancyReference Valuesanogenital distancefetal ultrasoundgenital developmentpenile lengthpenile width

Identifiers

PMID41017728
PMCPMC12757766

What OpenQuestion holds

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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.