Testicular microlithiasis and cryptorchidism: ultrasound analysis after orchidopexy.

Objective: To evaluate the testicular ultrasound features and frequency of testicular microlithiasis in a population of patients operated several year s before for cryptorchidism, in order to define a group at possible increas ed risk of testicular cancer. Material and Methods: This was a retrospective study of 202 patients, 63 of whom were reviewed by ultrasound with a mean follow-up of 9 years 3 months (7 years 5 months to 11 years 7 months). Results: 32% of operated testes were hypotrophic compared to the correctly descended side; their mean volume was 9.42 ml versus 11 ml for the nonopera ted side. 14.3% of surgically descended testes presented an ultrasonographi cally heterogeneous parenchyma and microlithiasis were present in 9.52% of cases. Conclusion: The association between microlithiasis and cryptorchidism is no t an incidental finding. Apart from the relative hypotrophy of the testis, ultrasound also revealed, in our study, that the presence of microlithiasis is not an extremely rare finding. Annual ultrasound surveillance is theref ore required due to the risk of malignant transformation of these microlith iases.