Testicular Ultrasound: What To Think About

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What To Think About

• Testicular ultrasound is usually done to evaluate a mass or pain in the testicles for possible cancer. Young men with a testicular mass or pain should be evaluated immediately by a doctor. Testicular cancer is the most common cancer in young men.
• With testicular ultrasound, your doctor can usually tell the difference between a fluid-filled cyst, a solid lump, or another type of mass.
  • A fluid-filled mass that has a symmetrical shape and does not have particles floating in it is likely to be a cyst.
  • A mass that does not have fluid, one that has fluid with floating particles (atypical cyst), or one that is larger than expected needs further evaluation. Often a follow-up ultrasound is done in 6 to 8 weeks to allow time for the mass to go away on its own.
  • If a solid lump or an atypical cyst is present and a testicular ultrasound cannot determine whether it is cancer, a biopsy may be recommended.

Last updated:	March 12, 2007
Author:	Maria G. Essig, MS, ELS
Reviewed By:	E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine, Avery L. Seifert, MD - Urology
Editors:	Susan Van Houten, RN, BSN, MBA, Tracy Landauer