This study aimed to evaluate the ability of rete testis thickness (RTT) and testicular shear wave elastography (SWE) to differentiate obstructive azoospermia (OA) from nonobstructive azoospermia (NOA). We assessed 290 testes of 145 infertile males with azoospermia and 94 testes of 47 healthy volunteers at Shanghai General Hospital (Shanghai, China) between August 2019 and October 2021. The testicular volume (TV), SWE, and RTT were compared among patients with OA and NOA and healthy controls. The diagnostic performances of the three variables were evaluated using the receiver operating characteristic curve. The TV, SWE, and RTT in OA differed significantly from those in NOA (all P ≤ 0.001) but were similar to those in healthy controls. Males with OA and NOA were similar at TVs of 9-11 cm 3 ( P = 0.838), with sensitivity, specificity, Youden index, and area under the curve of 50.0%, 84.2%, 0.34, and 0.662 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.502-0.799), respectively, for SWE cut-off of 3.1 kPa; and 94.1%, 79.2%, 0.74, and 0.904 (95% CI: 0.811-0.996), respectively, for RTT cut-off of 1.6 mm. The results showed that RTT performed significantly better than SWE in differentiating OA from NOA in the TV overlap range. In conclusion, ultrasonographic RTT evaluation proved a promising diagnostic approach to differentiate OA from NOA, particularly in the TV overlap range.
Male ; Humans ; Azoospermia ; Rete Testis ; China ; Testis

Primary adenocarcinoma of the rete testis is a rare malignant testicular tumor with a poor prognosis. Here we report the case of a 54-year-old man with right hydronephrosis that was detected before the diagnosis of the primary testicular lesion. During the evaluation of the right hydronephrosis by use of abdominopelvic computed tomography, a painless, hard, solid lesion was found on the right testis. The patient underwent radical orchiectomy, and the pathologic examination revealed an adenocarcinoma of the rete testis. Multiple metastases were present at the time of diagnosis. The patient received combined chemotherapy after the surgery but lived only 8 months after the initial diagnosis.
Adenocarcinoma ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Orchiectomy ; Prognosis ; Rete Testis ; Testis

Primary adenocarcinoma of the rete testis is a rare malignant testicular tumor with a poor prognosis. Here we report the case of a 54-year-old man with right hydronephrosis that was detected before the diagnosis of the primary testicular lesion. During the evaluation of the right hydronephrosis by use of abdominopelvic computed tomography, a painless, hard, solid lesion was found on the right testis. The patient underwent radical orchiectomy, and the pathologic examination revealed an adenocarcinoma of the rete testis. Multiple metastases were present at the time of diagnosis. The patient received combined chemotherapy after the surgery but lived only 8 months after the initial diagnosis.
Adenocarcinoma ; Humans ; Hydronephrosis ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Orchiectomy ; Prognosis ; Rete Testis ; Testis

The seminiferous tubules merge and connect with the tubuli recti that form the spaces known as the rete testis. Cystic ectasia of the rete testis is a rare benign testicular lesion. We report the cystic ectasia of the rete testis in a 66-year-old man.
Aged ; Dilatation, Pathologic ; Humans ; Rete Testis ; Seminiferous Tubules ; Testis

Cystic dysplasia of the testis is a rare benign congenital lesion of the rete testis that is often associated with renal and ureteral abnormalities. Herein, a case of cystic dysplasia of the testis, associated with an ipsilateral hypoplastic type of renal dysplasia and an ureterovesical junction obstruction, is reported in a 7-year-old boy.
Child ; Congenital, Hereditary, and Neonatal Diseases and Abnormalities ; Humans ; Male ; Rete Testis ; Testis* ; Ureter ; Urogenital Abnormalities

Testicular carcinoid tumor is uncommon and most of these tumors occur in fourth decade' of life. A 33-year-old man presented with intrascrotal painless mass, which was initially misdiagnosed as epididymal tumor. Epididymectomy including the mass was performed and pathologic examination revealed a carcinoid tumor confined to the rete testis. There was no evidence of carcinoid syndrome. The 24 hour urinary 5-HIAA level was normal. Abdominal CT scan and GI contrast study showed no evidence of carcinoid in other organ including the gut. Radical orchiectomy and hemiscrotectomy were undergone as a curative therapy. He has been well for 40 months without recurrence.
Adult ; Carcinoid Tumor* ; Humans ; Hydroxyindoleacetic Acid ; Orchiectomy ; Recurrence ; Rete Testis* ; Testis ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Adenocarcinoma of the rete testis arising in the mediastinum testis is a rare, highly malignant neoplasm. Wedescribe one such case in a 25-year-old male who presented with a palpable right scrotal mass which metasta-sizedto the right inguinal lymph node eight months later. Ultrasonography of this tumor showed a complex cystic andsolid mass in the swollen right scrotum, which was separate from the right testis. Ultrasonographic and clinicalfindings suggested that the mass was, indeed, paratesticular. Surgical pathology following right radicalorchiectomy and hemiscrotectomy, however, confirmed the presence of an exophytic adenocarcinoma of the retetestis. A pelvic CT performed to evaluate a right inguinal mass, which was palpated eight months later, revealed amainly cystic mass in the right inguinal area. Metastasis was confirmed by biopsy.
Adenocarcinoma* ; Adult ; Biopsy ; Humans ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Mediastinum ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Pathology, Surgical ; Rete Testis* ; Scrotum ; Testis ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo diagnose tubular ectasia of the rete testis with color flow Doppler imaging.

METHODSSonographic, CDFI and pulse wave Doppler appearance in tubular ectasia of the rete testis was described.

RESULTSThe characteristic ultrasound appearance with no associated soft-tissue abnormality and no flow on color flow Doppler imaging was seen.

CONCLUSIONColor Doppler ultrasound imaging is the first choice for the diagnosis of tubular ectasia of the rete testis.

Cystic dysplasia of the rete testis (CDT) is a very rare congenital benign testicular tumor that is often associated with ipsilateral genitourinary anomalies. It is usually found in the pediatric population and must be differentially diagnosed from a malignant lesion. Here we report the case of a 63-year-old man with a left inguinal hernia who visited our urologic outpatient clinic. Scrotal ultrasonography showed a left direct inguinal hernia in the inguinal area and a well-circumscribed cystic lesion containing multiple minute cysts with echogenic foci occupying almost one-third of the left testicular parenchyma. Testicular tumor markers were within the normal range and a computed tomography scan of the abdomen showed no genitourinary abnormalities. We presumed that the left testicular lesion was malignant, and the patient underwent radical orchiectomy. However, the pathologic examination revealed a CDT. Here we present this case of a 63-year-old man with an inguinal hernia accompanied by multiple cystic lesions on the left testis.
Abdomen ; Adult ; Ambulatory Care Facilities ; Hernia, Inguinal ; Humans ; Middle Aged ; Orchiectomy ; Reference Values ; Rete Testis ; Testicular Neoplasms ; Testis ; Biomarkers, Tumor ; Urogenital Abnormalities

The nature of carbohydrate in the male genital tract of the rat was studied through the carbohydrate-binding specificities of lectins. Lectins used in this study were BS-I, DBA, SBA, WGA, PNA, Cona and RCA. The results were as follows : 1. Secondary spermatocyte showed positive reactions to RCA, spermatid to PNA and RCA and sperm to WGA, PNA and ConA. The sperm in rete testis were positive to DBA, SBA, PNA, ConA and RCA while in epididymis the reactions to SBA, WGA and PNA were positive in all part and the reactions to ConA and RCA were positive only partly. 2. Cell membrane at luminal side of epithelial cell in rat genital tract showed positive reactions to DBA, WGA, and ConA in rete testis; in epididymis, the reactions to WGA and ConA were only partly positive; in vas deferens, the reactions to PNA and ConA were positive in all part and the reactions to DBA and WGA were only partly positive. 3. Cytoplasm of epithelial cell in rat genital tract showed positive reactions to DBA, WGA and ConA in rete testis; in epididymis, the reaction to WGA was positive in all part and the reaction to SBA was only partly positive; in vas deferens, the reaction to ConA was positive in all part and the reactions to BS-I and DBA were positive in some part. 4. Basal side of epithelial cell in rat genital tract showed positive reactions to DBA, WGA and ConA in rete testis; in epididymis, the reaction to WGA was positive in part and in seminal vesicle, the reaction to BS-I was partly positive. 5. Lamina propria of rat genital tract showed positive reactions to BS-I, WGA, ConA and RCA in rete testis; in epididymis, the reaction to WGA was positive in all part and the reaction to SBA was positive in some part; in seminal vesicle, the reaction to BS-I was positive. 6. Muscle layer of rat genital tract showed positive reaction to WGA in epididymis; in seminal vesicle, the reactions to BS-I and DBA were positive. 7. Adventitia of rat genital tract showed positive reaction to WGA in rete testis; in epididymis, the reactions to SBA, PNA, ConA and RCA were positive; in vas deferens, the reactions to BS-I and PNA were positive; in seminal vesicle, the reactions to BS-I and PNA were positive. In conclusion, variable lectin binding properties in the uroepithelia and the cells in the process of spermatogenesis, which were demonstrated in this study, offer the basic data for carbohydrate research in the male genital system.
Adventitia ; Animals ; Cell Membrane ; Cytoplasm ; Epididymis ; Epithelial Cells ; Humans ; Lectins ; Male ; Mucous Membrane ; Phenobarbital ; Rats* ; Rete Testis ; Seminal Vesicles ; Spermatids ; Spermatocytes ; Spermatogenesis* ; Spermatozoa ; Vas Deferens