Learning objectives
The aims of this educational poster are to:
Demonstrate the regional paratesticular anatomy on cross-sectional modalities;describe and illustrate the pathological features of unusual paratesticular lesions on ultrasound (US),
magnetic resonance (MR) or computed tomography (CT).
Background
Scrotal lumps are a common complaint amongst the adult male population.
The first step in the assessment is determining whether a lesion is intra or paratesticular.
In this poster,
we provide a series of multimodality illustrations of the relevant anatomy to help with this first step.
A large proportion of the scrotal lumps are paratesticular in nature.
The commonest lesions,
such as simple cysts and varicocoeles are easily identified,
but lesions such as adenomatoid tumours,
leiomyosarcomas and scrotal lipomas can be harder to characterise.
We...
Findings and procedure details
Scrotal anatomy
The scrotal sac arises from the labioscrotal folds during embryonic development [1].
Around the 8th week of gestation,
medial to the inferior epigastric vessels a localized fold of peritoneum (the processus vaginalis) evaginates into the scrotal sac via the inguinal canal,
and with it carries all of the structures contained within the adult scrotal sac [1].
The testes descend caudally into the scrotum guided by the gubernaculum,
which extends from the inferior testicular pole to the labioscrotal fold,
under the influence of testosterone...
Conclusion
We have demonstrated some commoner paratesticular masses and their relationship to the paratesticular anatomy.
Awareness of these structures is important in arriving at the correct diagnosis.
References
1.
Woodward PJ,
Schwab CM,
Sesterhenn IA.
From the Archives of the AFIP: Extratesticular Scrotal Masses: Radiologic-Pathologic Correlation.
RadioGraphics.
2003 Jan;23(1):215–40.
2.
Garriga V,
Serrano A,
Marin A,
Medrano S,
Roson N,
Pruna X.
US of the Tunica Vaginalis Testis: Anatomic Relationships and Pathologic Conditions.
RadioGraphics.
2009 Nov;29(7):2017–32.
3.
Wolfman DJ,
Marko J,
Gould CF,
Sesterhenn IA,
Lattin GE.
Mesenchymal Extratesticular Tumors and Tumorlike Conditions: From the Radiologic Pathology Archives.
RadioGraphics.
2015 Nov;35(7):1943–54.
4.
Bhosale PR,
Patnana M,
Viswanathan C,
Szklaruk J.
The Inguinal Canal:...