SCHISTOSOMIASIS OF THE MALE GENITAL-TRACT - TRANSRECTAL SONOGRAPHIC FINDINGS

Purpose: Schistosomal infection of the prostate and seminal vesicles i s seldom found in clinical practice and rarely mentioned in the radiol ogical literature. However, the presence of schistosoma eggs has been reported in 50% of postmortem studies of the prostate and seminal vesi cles performed in endemic areas.Materials and Methods: We report the r esults of transrectal studies of the prostate and seminal vesicles per formed in 9 white travelers (age less than 35 years) who complained of hemospermia. Diagnosis was confirmed by positive identification of pa rasites in the urine and semen. Results: Prostatic calcification was o bserved in 7 cases, hyperechogenic foci in 2, increase in prostate siz e in 2, calcifications in the seminal vesicles in 1 and dilatation of the seminal vesicles and ejaculatory ducts in 1. After treatment, pros tate size and hyperechogenic foci were reduced. In some cases, calcifi ed lesions diminished during followup. Conclusions: Prostatic and semi nal calcifications should alert physicians to the possibility of schis tosoma infection when they are found in young patients who have been i n endemic areas. Parasitological study of semen as well as urine confi rms and increases the number of diagnoses.