OBJECTIVETo elevate the diagnosis and differential diagnosis levels of epididymal mass by sonography.

METHODSThis was a retrospective study of 179 cases of epididymal mass treated by surgery in our hospital between 1990 and 2005. The analysis was focused on pathological and sonographic features.

RESULTS179 patients with mean age of 51.4 +/- 14.7 were enrolled. The epididymal mass was classified into four groups: epididymal cyst (n = 98), nonspecific epididymitis (n = 27), tuberculous epididymitis (n = 33) , and epididymal tumor (n = 21). Epididymal cyst could be easily diagnosed by ultrasound, the diagnostic rate was 93.8%, but nonspecific epididymitis and tuberculous epididymitis were hard to differentiate, complicating with multiple organs lesions may distinguish tuberculous from nonspecific epididymitis. Tuberculous epididymitis could be easily diagnosed when cold abscess, calcification and sinus tract emerged. The majority epididymal tumors were benign, and malignant cases were rarely seen. Patient's history, physical examination and sonographic features were all essential to make a right diagnosis.

CONCLUSIONUltrasound features may be helpful to the differential diagnosis of epididymal mass and ultrasound should be the first choice of image detection in epididymal lesions.