Imaging of the scrotum in children

Abstract

Clinical examination of the scrotum is difficult due to the small size of the testes and the epididymis in infants and young children, and eliciting patients' history is challenging. Therefore imaging of the scrotum in childhood bears great importance. Ultrasound is the standard imaging technique of choice providing the clinicians with a definitive diagnosis in most cases. However, in conditions of testicular torsion and epididymoorchitis--the most common differential diagnosis of scrotal pain--ultrasound findings can be inconclusive and further evaluation is required. Since there is a large overlap between paediatric and adult pathology, differences from adults in anatomy and pathology must be considered when evaluating the paediatric scrotum.