Varicocele, whose association with male infertility
has been clearly documented in the literature, is a
common finding in adolescents and adult men, being
diagnosed in 20–40% of infertile patients. A correct and
early diagnosis of this affliction is of great importance
because, in most cases, a timely correction, usually
performed using percutaneous sclerotherapy, leads to an
improvement in semen quality. Currently, physical
examination in a warm room is the mainstay of diagnosis,
but this is affected by a low sensibility and specificity,
especially in cases of low grade varicocele. Colour
Doppler ultrasound (CDU) is a new, reliable and noninvasive
diagnostic method for the evaluation of varicocele
testes which allows the detection of even subclinical
varicocele thanks to its capacity for measuring
the size of the pampiniformis plexus and blood flow
parameters of the spermatic veins. At present, there is a
lack of completely standardised diagnostic criteria, but
when this problem is solved, clinical examination and
CDU will certainly become the ‘‘gold standard’’ in the
investigation of varicocele
