'Feeling Hot': Exploring the feasibility of nocturnal erection detection through penile temperature measurements

Abstract

Objectives: The observational 'Feeling Hot' study aims to evaluate the feasibility of employing overnight penile temperature measurements for the detection of nocturnal erections, thereby contributing to the advancement and modernization of a non-invasive diagnostic system for erectile dysfunction.

Subjects/patients and methods: In this proof-of-concept study, 10 healthy men aged 20-25 were recruited, following the methodology outlined in the 'Staying Hot' study by Torenvlied et al. Participants underwent ambulatory overnight penile temperature measurements concurrent with RigiScan recordings. Key outcome measures included baseline and peak penile temperatures during RigiScan-annotated nocturnal erections. Reference measurements of the thigh temperature were also taken to assess nocturnal temperature variations.

Results: Statistically significant penile temperature increases (p = 0.008, n = 9) were observed during nocturnal erections, with an average elevation of 1.47°C noted during the initial erections. This underscores the practical utility of penile temperature measurements in detecting erection onset. Challenges arose in accurately determining erection duration and subsequent erection onsets due to the persistence of elevated temperatures following initial erections, termed the 'Staying Hot effect'. Reference thigh temperature measurements aided in addressing this challenge.

Conclusion: Examining overnight penile temperature alongside simultaneous RigiScan recordings has yielded valuable insights into the viability of using the temperature methodology for detecting nocturnal erections. The 'Feeling Hot' study findings demonstrate significant penile temperature elevation during nocturnal erections in healthy young men, highlighting the potential of integrating this measurement methodology into the design of a modernized tool for ambulatory erectile dysfunction diagnostics. Further development of an advanced sensor system to comprehensively assess erection duration and quality is essential for enhancing clinical applicability.

Keywords: RigiScan; ambulatory diagnostics; erectile dysfunction; e‐health; nocturnal erections; penile temperature; temperature sensing.

FIGURE 1

Penile temperature during the initial nocturnal erection of all test subjects. The mean of the data is shown in red.

FIGURE 2

Outcomes of a single overnight measurement of the penile temperature, corrected temperature, penile temperature slope analysis and RigiScan rigidity and circumference measurements. The start and end of the nocturnal erectile phases, according to the RigiScan circumference data, are indicated with green and red lines, respectively.

FIGURE 3

Visualization of the added value of corrected temperature measurements and slope analysis on the detection of (subsequent) nocturnal erections. An overview is given of the penile temperature, corrected temperature, penile temperature slope analysis and RigiScan rigidity and circumference measurements. The start and end of the nocturnal erectile phases, according to the RigiScan circumference data, are indicated with green and red lines, respectively.