HYPOECHOIC TESTICULAR MASS: A CASE OF TESTICULAR
AND EPIDIDYMAL SARCOIDOSIS
JAMIL REHMAN, EMAD R. RIZKALA, BILAL CHUGHTAI, AND SARDAR ALI KHAN
ABSTRACT
We present a case of testicular and epididymal sarcoidosis in a man with a hypoechoic testicular mass.
Radical orchiectomy was averted by use of intraoperative frozen section analysis. UROLOGY 66:
657.e9–657.e10, 2005. © 2005 Elsevier Inc.
M
anagement of a hypoechoic testicular mass
presents a therapeutic challenge because of
the vast array of diagnoses it may represent. Use of
a high inguinal incision and intraoperative frozen
section analysis provides the needed information
to guide and tailor the therapy.
CASE REPORT
A 29-year-old man presented with a 2-month
history of right testicular pain and pleuritic chest
pain. The patient complained of night sweats and
weight loss. He denied fever and hemoptysis, had
no history of human immunodeficiency virus or
recent travel, and had had a negative purified pro-
tein derivative of tuberculin test 1 year before this
admission. His scrotal examination was remark-
able for right testicular tenderness and a nontender
enlarged left epididymis. Scrotal ultrasonography
revealed a 2-cm right testicular hypoechoic mass,
several small bilateral testicular hypoechoic
masses, and a hypoechoic mass of the left epididy-
mis (Fig. 1). Chest x-ray demonstrated bilateral
pulmonary infiltrates, and chest computed tomog-
raphy revealed bilateral hilar adenopathy, innu-
merable lung nodules, and a right apical cavitary
lesion.
The differential diagnosis included testicular
malignancy and genitourinary tuberculosis. His se-
rum beta-human chorionic gonadotropin and al-
pha-fetoprotein levels, urinalysis, urinary and spu-
tum acid-fast bacillus stains, and purified protein
derivative of tuberculin test were negative. Because
of diffuse bilateral involvement of the testes and
epididymis, as well as significant pulmonary
pathologic features, we were skeptical of a testicu-
lar malignancy. A high inguinal exploration and
incisional biopsy of the testicular mass confirmed
granulomatous disease and excluded testicular
malignancy. Histopathologic examination of the
testicular mass and pulmonary nodule confirmed
sarcoidosis (Fig. 2). Tuberculosis and fungal cul-
ture were negative.
COMMENT
Sarcoidosis is a multisystemic disease of un-
known etiology characterized by noncaseating
granulomas. Sarcoidosis may appear at any age,
From the Department of Urology, State University of New York
School of Medicine, Stony Brook University Medical Center,
Stony Brook, New York
Address for correspondence: Jamil Rehman, M.D., Department
of Urology, Division of Laparoscopic Urologic Surgery and Lapa-
roscopic Female Pelvic Reconstruction, State University of New
York School of Medicine, Stony Brook University Health Sciences
Center, SUNY-Stony Brook, HSC L-9, 040, Stony Brook, NY
11794-8093. E-mail: jarehman@notes.cc.sunysb.edu
Submitted: November 26, 2004, accepted (with revisions):
March 1, 2005
FIGURE 1. Scrotal ultrasound scan showing hypo-
echoic areas.
CASE REPORT
© 2005 ELSEVIER INC. 0090-4295/05/$30.00
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED doi:10.1016/j.urology.2005.03.008 657.e9