Medical Terminology: Male Tests

1. What are Male Tests?
There are a number of medical tests and procedures that are specifically designed to diagnose and treat disorders that affect men. There are a group of tests and procedures focused on fertility.
When a man is unable to impregnate a woman, the health care provider orders tests to assess if there is an underlying problem with the man’s reproductive organs. The initial test is a semen analysis that assesses the man’s semen and sperm. Depending on the results, a testicular scan or ultrasound is ordered to determine if there is a structural disorder. One such structural disorder is varicocele, which is a large vein that blocks blood flow to the testicles. This is relieved by performing a varicocele repair.
The health care provider may follow up with a testicular examination or an erectile dysfunction test. If the erectile dysfunction test returns positive results, the health care provider may perform a penile implant procedure in which a device is inserted to cause an erection.
Some men desire to become infertile by having their vas deferens cut or blocked by a vasectomy. This prevents sperm from mixing with semen, resulting in no sperm in the ejaculate. A vasectomy in some instances can be reversed by performing a vasovasostomy.
Men are susceptible to developing an enlarged prostate gland, which could be caused by prostate cancer. Prostatic cancer cells are in part fueled by testosterone, which is produced by the testicles. The health care provider might perform an orchiectomy, which is the surgical removal of one or both testicles. This reduces the level of testosterone in the patient’s body.
Alternatively, the health care provider may perform a prostatectomy, which is the removal of the prostate gland. However, this procedure may leave the patient with erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence.

2. Erectile Dysfunction Tests
The erectile dysfunction test is performed to identify the underlying cause of erectile dysfunction.

Understanding Erectile Dysfunction Tests
Erectile dysfunction is commonly caused by psychological, blood vessel, and nerve disorders. There are three tests that are commonly ordered to assess erectile dysfunction:
. Color Duplex Doppler: This test assesses blood flow through the penis using an ultrasound.
. Nocturnal Penile Tumescence (NPT): This test assesses if the patient has erections during sleep.
. Intracavernosal Injection: This test injects prostaglandin E1. into the base of the penis to cause an erection.

3. Testicular Ultrasound
The testicular ultrasound is ordered to identify the underlying cause of scrotum pain, and assess structures within the scrotum and a mass on the testicles.

Understanding the Testicular Ultrasound
A testicular ultrasound is a procedure used to produce an image of the testicles, scrotum, epididymis, and vas deferens to detect if there is any structural dysfunction.

4. Testicular Scan
A testicular scan assesses the function of the testicles and is used to identify blockages.

Understanding the Testicular Scan
A radioactive tracer is injected into the patient’s vein. The tracer flows into the testicles. A camera takes an image of the tracer as the tracer flows through the testicles.

5. Semen Analysis
The semen analysis is ordered to identify the underlying cause of infertility and assess the results of a vasectomy and vasovasostomy. The health provider should inform the patient of the possibility of impregnating a woman for several weeks following a vasectomy. Only the semen analysis will determine when no sperm are mixing with the semen. It is at this time that the patient will be unable to impregnate a woman.

Understanding Semen Analysis
Semen analysis is performed to assess the volume of semen and number of quality sperm produced in an ejaculation to determine the underlying cause of infertility. Eight factors are analyzed:
. Semen Volume: This is the amount of semen in an ejaculation.
. Liquefaction Time: This is the time it takes for the semen to liquefy.
. Sperm Morphology: This is the number of normally shaped sperm.
. Sperm Motility: This is the percentage of sperm that show forward movement.
. Sperm Count: This is the number of sperm in a milliliter of semen in one ejaculation.
. Fructose Level: This is the amount of fructose in semen to provide energy for sperm.
. pH: This measures the acidity level of the semen.
. Semen White Blood Cell Count: This measures the number of white blood cells in semen, which is normally zero.

Basic Questions
Male Tests

1. What is a varicocele?
A varicocele is a large vein that blocks blood flow to the testicles.

2. What is a vasectomy?
A vasectomy is the cutting or blocking of the vas deferens to prevent sperm from mixing with semen.

3. What is the result of a successful vasectomy?
The result of a successful vasectomy is that no sperm are in the semen.

4. What is a vasovasostomy?
A vasovasostomy is a reversal of a vasectomy.

5. What are common causes of erectile dysfunction?
Erectile dysfunction is commonly caused by psychological, blood vessel, and nerve disorders.

6. What is a color duplex Doppler test?
This test assesses blood flow through the penis using an ultrasound.

7. What is the nocturnal penile tumescence test?
This test assesses if the patient has erections during sleep.

8. What is the intracavernosal injection test?
This test injects prostaglandin E1. into the base of the penis to cause an erection.

9. Why is a testicular ultrasound ordered?
The testicular ultrasound is ordered to identify the underlying cause of scrotum pain, and assess structures within the scrotum and a mass on the testicles.

10. What structures are viewed in a testicular ultrasound?
A testicular ultrasound is a procedure used to produce an image of the testicles, scrotum, epididymis, and vas deferens to detect if there is any structural dysfunction.

11. Why is a testicular scan ordered?
A testicular scan assesses the function of the testicles and is used to identify blockages.

12. How is a testicular scan performed?
A radioactive tracer is injected into the patient’s vein. The tracer flows into the testicles. A camera takes an image of the tracer as the tracer flows through the testicles.

13. What test is ordered to assess the results of a vasectomy?
Semen analysis is ordered to assess the results of a vasectomy.

14. Why does a health care provider order semen analysis several weeks following a vasectomy?
It is common for sperm to mix with semen for several weeks following a vasectomy. The semen analysis determines when no sperm are in semen.

15. What will the health care provider tell the patient following a vasectomy regarding pregnancy?
The patient might be able to impregnate a woman for several weeks following a vasectomy. Only the semen analysis will determine when no sperm are mixing with the semen. It is at this time that the patient will be unable to impregnate a woman.

16. What other reason might a health care provider order a semen analysis?
The semen analysis is ordered to identify the underlying cause of infertility.

17. What does the semen volume test measure?
This is the amount of semen in an ejaculation.

18. What does the liquefaction time test measure?
This is the time it takes for the semen to liquefy.

19. What does the sperm morphology test measure?
This measures the number of normally shaped sperm.

20. What does the sperm motility test measure?
This is the percentage of sperm that show forward movement.

21. What does the sperm count test measure?
This is the number of sperm in a milliliter of semen in one ejaculation.

22. What does the fructose level measure?
This is the amount of fructose in semen to provide energy for sperm.

23. What does the pH test measure?
This measures the acidity level of the semen.

24. What does the semen white blood cell count measure?
This measures the number of white blood cells in semen.

25. What is the normal semen white blood cell count?

The normal semen white blood cell count is zero.