Diagnosis of sub-clinical varicocele by means of infrared functional imaging

Infrared functional imaging (IRFI) was used to detect subclinical varicocele. The evaluation of varicocele related hyperthermia and the different thermal properties of healthy and unhealthy testicles were used to detect the presence of the disease. A mild cold thermal stress performed on the scrotal region highlighted differences in the thermal recovery between the contralateral testicles and pampiniform plexuses. Mismatches in the equilibrium temperatures and in the recovery curves were used as objective parameters to infer the presence of varicocele, in a subclinical stages. 60 subjects, without any previous varicocele related symptoms, underwent the IRFI. 22 subjects out of the 60 showed abnormal values of the chosen parameters; clinical and echo-color-Doppler examination confirmed the presence of a subclinical first or second degree varicocele.