Amide proton transfer-weighted magnetic resonance imaging for the evaluation of testicular spermatogenic function: a preliminary study.

IF 1.4 4区医学 Q3 RADIOLOGY, NUCLEAR MEDICINE & MEDICAL IMAGING

Diagnostic and interventional radiology Pub Date : 2025-05-20 DOI:10.4274/dir.2025.253248

Guanglei Tang, Shulin Ma, Wenhao Fu, Weijian Yun, Yang Peng, Jian Guan

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Abstract

Purpose: To determine the amide proton transfer-weighted (APTw) imaging features in testes with age, and to assess the feasibility of APTw magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in assessing testicular spermatogenic function.

Methods: A total of 23 male patients with clinically confirmed hypospermatogenesis caused by epididymo-orchitis were included in the case group (group A) and another 93 men (age range, 20-80 years) were included in the control group. The control group was divided into four subgroups: group B1 (20-34 years, n = 25), group B2 (35-49 years, n = 23), group B3 (50-64 years, n = 21), and group B4 (65-80 years, n = 24). All participants underwent 3.0T MRI scan, and the APT signal intensity (SI) and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value of each testis were examined. The ADC and APT SI were independently measured by two radiologists blinded to clinical data, and average values were calculated. A power analysis was conducted to determine the required sample size.

Results: APT SI was negatively correlated with age (r = -0.510, P < 0.001), whereas ADC was positively correlated with age (r = 0.317, P = 0.006). The APT SI was significantly higher in group A (1.77 ± 0.41) than in group B1 (1.43 ± 0.21), group B2 (1.37 ± 0.31), group B3 (1.30 ± 0.35), and group B4 (1.20 ± 0.35) (all P < 0.01). The ADC was significantly higher in group A [(0.549 ± 0.091) × 10^-3 mm²/s] compared with group B1 [(0.449 ± 0.047) × 10^-3 mm²/s], group B2 [(0.475 ± 0.022) × 10^-3 mm²/s], and group B3 [(0.488 ± 0.051) × 10^-3 mm²/s] (all P < 0.01), whereas no statistically significant difference was found between group A and group B4 (P > 0.05).

Conclusion: The APT SI of the normal testes decreased with age, whereas a significant elevation of APT SI was detected in patients with hypospermatogenesis caused by epididymo-orchitis.

Clinical significance: Hypospermatogenesis caused by degeneration or inflammation can be differentiated by APT quantity combined with ADC value.

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酰胺质子转移加权磁共振成像评价睾丸生精功能的初步研究。

目的：探讨不同年龄睾丸的酰胺质子转移加权（APTw）成像特征，探讨APTw磁共振成像（MRI）评价睾丸生精功能的可行性。方法：将临床确诊的男性附睾-睾丸炎所致精子生成不足患者23例作为病例组（A组），将年龄20 ~ 80岁的男性93例作为对照组。对照组分为4组：B1组（20 ~ 34岁，n = 25）、B2组（35 ~ 49岁，n = 23）、B3组（50 ~ 64岁，n = 21）、B4组（65 ~ 80岁，n = 24）。所有参与者均行3.0T MRI扫描，检测睾丸APT信号强度（SI）和表观扩散系数（ADC）值。ADC和APT SI由两名不了解临床数据的放射科医生独立测量，并计算平均值。进行功率分析以确定所需的样本量。结果：APT SI与年龄呈负相关（r = -0.510, P < 0.001）， ADC与年龄呈正相关（r = 0.317, P = 0.006）。A组APT SI（1.77±0.41）显著高于B1组（1.43±0.21）、B2组（1.37±0.31）、B3组（1.30±0.35）、B4组（1.20±0.35）（P均< 0.01）。A组ADC[（0.549±0.091）× 10-3 mm2/s]显著高于B1组[（0.449±0.047）× 10-3 mm2/s]、B2组[（0.475±0.022）× 10-3 mm2/s]、B3组[（0.488±0.051）× 10-3 mm2/s]（均P < 0.01），而A组与B4组间无统计学差异（P < 0.05）。结论：正常睾丸的APT SI随年龄的增长而降低，而睾丸附睾炎所致的低精症患者的APT SI明显升高。临床意义：可通过APT数量结合ADC值来鉴别变性或炎症所致的精子发生不足。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Diagnostic and interventional radiology Medicine-Radiology, Nuclear Medicine and Imaging

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4.80%

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期刊介绍： Diagnostic and Interventional Radiology (Diagn Interv Radiol) is the open access, online-only official publication of Turkish Society of Radiology. It is published bimonthly and the journal’s publication language is English. The journal is a medium for original articles, reviews, pictorial essays, technical notes related to all fields of diagnostic and interventional radiology.