Radiology, Vol 177, 743-747, Copyright © 1990 by Radiological Society of North America
In vivo human testicular function assessed with P-31 MR spectroscopy
WM Chew, H Hricak, RD McClure and MF Wendland
Department of Radiology, University of California School of Medicine, San Francisco 94143.
The clinical feasibility of assessing testicular metabolic integrity with
phosphorus-31 magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy was investigated in six
healthy volunteers and 23 patients with azoospermia. MR spectroscopic
findings were compared with sperm count and motility in all patients and
with findings at testicular biopsy in 23 patients. Significant differences
(P less than .05) were found between the P-31 spectra of normal and
azoospermic testicles in the following peak area ratios: phosphomonoester
(PM)/beta-adenosine triphosphate, PM/phosphodiester, and inorganic
phosphate/PM. In the patients with azoospermia, there were significant
differences in these same peak area ratios between patients with primary
testicular failure and those with chronic tubular obstruction. Although the
differences between these two groups were statistically significant, there
was a large overlap in numbers, and therefore a study with a larger patient
population will be required. P-31 MR spectroscopy is a sensitive tool for
assessment of testicular metabolic integrity and differentiation of normal
testicles from those with markedly decreased spermatogenesis.
