ASSESSMENT OF SPERMATOGENIC PROCESS BY DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC-ACID IMAGE-ANALYSIS

Objective: To evaluate the spermatogenic process through cellular ploi dy by image analysis. Design: Twenty-six testicular aspirates from 24 infertile men were examined by fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytologic smears. These results were compared with the ploidy content of the cel ls using Feulgen stain, determined by image analysis. Results: The res ults of both methods were divided into three categories: full spermato genesis, spermatogenic arrest, and only Sertoli cell. There was a good correlation in 25 of 26 smears (96%). Ten patients who had a histogra m of diploid showed only Sertoli cell cytologically. From nine patient s who had a histogram of diploid and tetraploid, eight cytologically s howed spermatogenic arrest and one showed full spermatogenesis. The se ven patients who had full spermatogenesis (haploid, diploid, tetraploi d) all had normal cytologic smears. Conclusions: Deoxyribonucleic acid image analysis is an objective qualitative and quantitative method fo r the evaluation of the spermatogenic process of the infertile male. I t has several. advantages over the flow cytometry method.