DIAGNOSTIC-VALUE OF RADIONUCLIDE PHALLOGRAPHY WITH INTRAVENOUS VASODILATOR STRESS IN THE EVALUATION OF ARTERIOGENIC IMPOTENCE

Arteriogenic impotence is a major cause of organic erectile dysfunctio n. We evaluated the diagnostic value of quantitative radionuclide phal lography with intravenous pharmacological stress in screening impotent patients for penile arterial inadequacy. Using technetium-99m labelle d autologous erythrocytes, dynamic scintigraphy of the penile blood po ol was performed. Penile haemodynamic changes following intravenous in jection of the vasodilator isoxsuprine hydrochloride were assessed by quantitation of penile blood flow and volume. Forty-seven impotent pat ients (11 psychogenic, 24 arteriogenic, 10 venogenic, 2 endocrine) wer e studied. Arteriogenic impotent patients demonstrated a lesser degree of increase in penile blood flow and volume than impotent patients wi th uncompromised penile arterial inflow. Quantitation of penile blood flow and volume yielded a high diagnostic accuracy (>90%). Radionuclid e phallography with intravenous vasodilator stress forms a simple and accurate method for evaluating the functional integrity of penile arte rial inflow.