Ciência Animal 22(3): 25-29,2012
EVALUATION OF THE TESTICULAR STROMA ECHOGENICITY IN
PREPUBERTAL RAM
(Avaliação da ecogenicidade do estroma testicular em carneiros pré-púberes)
Pedro Paulo Maia TEIXEIRA2*, Diogo José CARDILLI2, Luciana Cristina PADILHA2,
Carla Cristina D’AMATO2, Felipe Farias Pereira da Câmara BARROS2, Leandro Nassar
COUTINHO2, Victor José Correia dos SANTOS2, Renata Sitta MARIANO2, Wilter
Ricardo Russiano VICENTE2
1. Universidade Estadual do Centro-oeste (PR), CEDETEG,
2. Univ Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”. Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil.
ABSTRACT
The aim of this study was to establish a standard ultrasound echogenicity of the testicular stroma in
prepubertal sheep correlating with testicular biometry. Eight Santa Ines rams aging 6 months were
evaluated. It was used an Aquila Vet ultrasound with 6 MHz linear transducer using acoustic gel on
the previously shaved scrotal region. Sagittal, frontal and transverse images of right and left testicles
were recorded to evaluate the image echogenicity (gray scale) on selected predetermined areas of
the testicular stroma. The biometric evaluations were performed according to to the standard method.
The testicular stroma was homogeneous, with echogenicity 53.95 ± 6.5%, 55.70 ± 6.4% and 55.68
± 6.4% for the right, left and the testis mean, respectively. There was also a high correlation between
echogenicity and scrotal circumference (P = 0.0027, r= 0.80, r 2 = 0.75). The study showed a
contribution to andrological findings, showing accurately and practical the echogenicity of the
testicular parenchyma of prepubertal ram, optimizing the early breeding evaluation.
KEYWORDS: SHEEP, ANDROLOGY, TESTICULAR PARENCHYMA, ULTRASOUND.
RESUMO
O objetivo deste estudo foi estabelecer um padrão ultrassonográfico da ecogenicidade do estroma
testicular em ovinos pré-púberes correlacionando com a biometria testicular. Foram avaliados 8
carneiros de 6 meses de idade e raça Santa Inês. Foi utilizado um aparelho Áquila Vet, ligado ao
transdutor linear 6 MHz, utilizando gel acústico sobre a bolsa testicular previamente tricotomizada
nas regiões de aferição. Foram feitas imagens em planos sagitais, transversais e frontais nos testículos
direito e esquerdo. Com a função de aferição de ecogenicidade da imagem (escala de cinza), no
próprio aparelho foram selecionadas áreas predeterminadas do estroma testicular. As avaliações
biométricas foram realizadas de acordo com o método padrão. O estroma testicular apresentou-se,
de uma forma geral, homogêneo, com ecogenicidade 53,95±6,5%, 55,70±6,4% e 55,68± 6,4%
para o testículo direito, esquerdo e a média dos testículos, respectivamente. Também se verificou
uma correlação entre a ecogenicidade e a circunferência escrotal (P= 0,0027, r= 0,80, r2 = 0,75),
* Endereço para correspondência:
Univ Estadual Paulista “Júlio de Mesquita Filho”.
Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brasil.
Fone: +55 42 99125588,
e.mail: [email protected]
Ciência Animal 22(3): 25-29,2012
25
sendo uma correlação alta. O estudo apresentou uma contribuição para os achados andrológicos,
mostrando com precisão e de maneira prática a ecogenicidade do parênquima testicular de carneiros
pré-púberes, otimizando a avaliação precoce de reprodutores.
PALAVRAS-CHAVE: CORDEIROS, ANDROLOGIA, PARÊNQUIMA TESTICULAR, ULTRASSONOGRAFIA.
INTRODUCTION
echogenicity t hrough its gray scale and
correlated with testicular morphometry and
The sheep industry has grown up in the seminal evaluations, also verifying findings of
country and the world (Fonseca, 2005). In this earlier changes in sperm quality. For prepubertal
context, breeders are fundamentally important in animals there is no standard data yet.
the final production system. Both, in natural
The aim of this study was to establish a
mating and in artificial insemination programs standard ultrasound echogenicity of the testicular
or other biotechnologies of reproduction, males stroma in prepubertal sheep correlated with testis
are primarily responsible for the breeding herd, size.
subject to greater selection pressure (Simplicio
et al., 2007). Thus, choosing a breeder must be MATERIAL AND METHODS
based on their production, evaluating the progeny
test, and also by conducting a thorough clinical Animals
andrological examination (Martins, 2006).
Eight Santa Ines rams, aging 6 months,
The use of tested breeding and with high average weightof 15.6 ±2.5, created in the city
fertilizing capacity is very important to ensure of Jaboticabal, (latitude 21 º 15’17 “south and
good reproductive efficiency and production of longitude 48 º 19’20" west, with an altitude of
lambs. Thus, the search for indicators of 605 meters and a CFa climate predominance
reproductive fertility has been the subject of according to Köppen) were evaluated. The
several studies in last years. Smith et al. (1989) evaluation was conducted in February, a long
indicate that the animal reproductive potential days and higher temperatures period.
can not be expressed by only one analysis
window, which must be estimated by combining Equipment and experimental design
several parameters.
We used Aquila Vet Ultrasound equipment,
The reproductive capacity of breeding is connected to 6 MHz linear transducer. Acoustic
accurately measured by andrological gel was used on the previously shaved scrotum,
examination (Unanian, 2000). But, the evolution according to Teixeira et al (2011). Images of the
of diagnostic techniques, especially ultrasound, right and left testicles were made in sagittal,
was important for a the evaluation of the frontal and transverse view. For measuring image
anatomy of the sex glands and the testicular echogenicity (gray scale), were selected on the
stroma (Sanches and Afonso, 2000). It is possible ultrasound image, predetermined areas of the
to diagnose asymptomatic andrological changes testicular stroma as described by Teixeira et al.
by conventional ultrasound exams (Joey et al. (2011).
2009).
The biometric evaluations were performed
Cardilli et al. (2009) studying cattle and according to standard method, performing the
Teixeira et al. (2011) studying sheep established clinical examination of the external structures of
an analysis method of test icular stromal the reproductive system (symmetry and shape of
26
Ciência Animal 22(3): 25-29,2012
the testis and epididymis and plexus structures).
With a caliper rule and a measuring tape were
obtained scrotal circumference, length, width and
thickness of the testicles. The testicular shape
(shape of the left testis - SLT, shape of the right
testis - SRT) was calculated by the ratio between
the width and the length (WIDTH / LENGTH
ratio) in the range of 1 to 0.5, where 1 means
WIDTH = LENGTH and 0.5, WIDTH = 1/2
LENGTH. According t o this ratio , were
established the following ways: ratio I  0.5 =
long; ratio II = 0.51 to 0.625 = long / moderate;
ratio III = 0.626 to 0.750 = long / oval; ratio IV =
0.751 to 0.875 = oval / spherical; and ratio V >
0.875 = spherical (Bailey et al., 1996).
The testicular volume was measured by
comparing two mathematical equations, the first
using the mathematical model suggested by
Fields et al. (1979) and Unanian et al. (2000)
with the mathematical equation of the cylinder
volume: CVol = 2 x [(WIDTH / 2) 2 x II x
(LENGTH) ],  = 3.141592654, and the second
suggested by Bailey et al. (1998), the equation
of prolate spheroid: PVol = 2 x [4/3 x II x
(WIDTH / 2) 2 x (LENGTH / 2)], volume
expressed as cm³.
tistical variation in each measurement (p> 0.05).
There was also a high correlation between
echogenicity with scrotal circumference (P =
0.0027, r = 0.80, r2 = 0,75).
Table 1. Morphometric parameters, shape and
testicular volume according to Fields et al.
(1979), Bailey et al. (1996) CBRA (1998) and
Unanian et al. (2000).
Scrotal
circumference (SC)
23,13 ± 3,7
RWidth
7,12 ± 1,0
LWidth
7,18 ± 1,1
RLength
4,81 ± 0,9
LLength
4,68 ± 0,9
SRT
0,590 ± 0,21
SLT
0,649 ± 0,05
CrVol
278,5 ± 118,7
ClVol
267,9 ± 123,3
PrVol
185,7 ± 79,12
PlVol
178,6 ± 82,20
Parameters of testis size in cm and cm3.
DISCUSSION
Statistics analysis
Data were expressed as mean and standard
deviation, performing one-way ANOVA test
(nonparametric) and linear regression for
correlation between echogenicity and testis data,
using the statistical package GraphPad Prism 4.
The testes showed long / moderate to
long / oval form, as observed by Louvandini et
al. (2008) in adult sheeps. The CVol was
statistically equal to PVol (P> 0.05), as found by
Teixeira et al., (2011). Regard to testicular
stroma, the echogenicity was similar to that found
RESULTS
by Dickie et al (2009) and Teixeira et al. (2011)
in adult sheep during the breeding season,
The results of testicular biometry were observing the expected homogeneity of the
expressed in table 1.
testicular stroma in all measured planes (p> 0.05).
The testicular stroma was homogeneous,
Cardilli et al. (2011) described by the
with 53.95 ± 6.5%, 55.70 ± 6.4 and 55.68 ± 6.4% evaluation of testicular stroma of calf, the
of echogenicity for the right, left and mean of pathological presence of multiple hyperechoic
the testes, respectively, with no significant sta- spots that did not produce acoustic shadowing,
Ciência Animal 22(3): 25-29,2012
27
as microlithiasis, which can bring andrologic
changes for these breeding cattle.
The correlation between the scrotal
circumference and echogenicity can be explained
by its increase during the reproductive
development of the animals. The same was
described by Cardilli et al. (2010), evaluating the
development of testicular Nelore cattle. The
stromal testicular echogenicity increased directly
proportional to the age of the animals (scrotal
circumference). The mean value of echogenicity
found by Teixeira et al. (2011), 37.91 ± 5.2%
was lower than that found in prepubertal animals
in this study. The hypothesis explains that adult
animals were weekly semen collected and
animals in this study had a mean age of 6 months,
with possibly considerable sperm production, the
reason for the increased echogenicity.
The clinical knowledge importance of
differences, between the testicular stroma
echogenicity in prepubescent and adult human,
has been reported since tumors and inflammatory
processes are characteristically hypoechogenic
compared to the male gonad stroma. It is difficult
to visualize the contrast to the low echogenicity
of children testes, what reinforces the knowledge
importance about the normal sonographic
echogenicity pattern of this organ according to
the age of the animals, especially young animals,
the focus of this study (Hamm and Fobbe, 1994;
Cardilli et al., 2010).
The study had a great contribution to
the andrological findings, showing accurately
and in a practical way the stromal echogenicity
of prepubertal ram testicles as a valuable tool to
andrologic evaluation.
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We thank NUTRICELL for the MIES FILHO, A.; PUGA, J.M.P.; JOBIM,
M.I.M. et al.. Biometria testicular em bovino. I
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