Pubertal testicular volume references for ruler, orchidometer, and ultrasonography measurements based on a longitudinal follow-up - Centre for Population Health Research (POPC) - A joint centre by the University of Turku and the municipal authority of the Hospital District of Southwest Finland. The goal of Centre for Population Health Research is to promote health and well-being of society by enhancing research and development work on clinical-epidemiological population research.

Andrology. 2024 Mar 14. doi: 10.1111/andr.13629. Online ahead of print.

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: Testicular volume is a marker of male pubertal development. Various clinical conditions and their treatments may influence testicular growth.

OBJECTIVES: To create ruler-based age-dependent pubertal testicular volume references that enable calculation of standard deviation (SD) scores.

MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study cohort comprised 65 boys who attended clinical examination twice a year from the age of 8.5 years until the attainment of final testicular size. Forty-nine (75.4%) boys completed the follow-up and 16 (24.6%) boys dropped out before the attainment of final post-pubertal testicular size. At each follow-up visit testicular size was measured with a ruler, orchidometer, and ultrasonography. LMS or LMSP method served as the technique for creating reference growth curves for testicular volumes. Using the novel references for ruler measurements, development of SD scores was assessed in a cohort of boys with unilateral cryptorchidism.

RESULTS: Reference growth curves were constructed separately for ruler, orchidometer, and ultrasonography measurements. Median orchidometer volume of 4 mL, marker of male pubertal onset, occurred at the age of 11.7 years, whereas +2SD curve surpassed 4 mL at 10.2 years and -2SD curve at 13.7 years. Modeled ages at the attainment of 4 mL testicular volume based on ruler measurements were 9.7 years for +2SD curve, 11.5 years for median curve, and 13.6 years for -2SD curve. Ultrasonography-based volume of 1.3 mL corresponded with the median modeled orchidometer-based volume of 4 mL. In boys with unilateral cryptorchidism, ruler-based SD scores decreased during puberty in undescended testes, but not in descended testes.

DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: The present study provides reference values for pubertal testicular volume measured with a ruler enabling an age-dependent assessment of testicular size. Comparison with measurements by an orchidometer and ultrasonography is also presented.

PMID:38482926 | DOI:10.1111/andr.13629