OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether testicular cytology by fine needle aspiration (FNA) may be considered a diagnostic parameter in the evaluation of the azoospermic subject. DESIGN: Cytologic smears were obtained using a 23-G needle, stained with May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain and examined under a light Orthoplan microscope (Wild, Leitz, Germany) for qualitative and quantitative analysis. PATIENTS: Fifty-four azoospermic patients were analyzed, and the findings were compared with those obtained from 40 normozoospermic infertile subjects used as controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Two hundred spermatogenic cells were counted and classified at the various steps of spermatogenesis. Spermatic index and Sertoli index provided further elucidations and more comprehensible results. RESULTS: No sign of traumatization was observed. Cytologic analysis was proved to have high statistical reproducibility (P less than 0.01 for spermatogonia and secondary spermatocytes and P less than 0.001 for the other cell types, when compared between differential counts) and permitted identification of different situations associated with azoospermia: Sertoli cell-only syndrome, germ depopulation (hypospermatogenesis), spermatogonial arrest, spermatidic arrest, and obstructive azoospermia. These findings agreed with clinical and hormonal parameters and with the results of bilateral surgical biopsies, when performed. CONCLUSIONS: The results support use of FNA of the testis as a noninvasive diagnostic parameter for the assessment of azoospermic subjects.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether testicular cytology by fine needle aspiration (FNA) may be considered a diagnostic parameter in the evaluation of the azoospermic subject. DESIGN: Cytologic smears were obtained using a 23-G needle, stained with May-Grünwald-Giemsa stain and examined under a light Orthoplan microscope (Wild, Leitz, Germany) for qualitative and quantitative analysis. PATIENTS: Fifty-four azoospermic patients were analyzed, and the findings were compared with those obtained from 40 normozoospermic infertile subjects used as controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): Two hundred spermatogenic cells were counted and classified at the various steps of spermatogenesis. Spermatic index and Sertoli index provided further elucidations and more comprehensible results. RESULTS: No sign of traumatization was observed. Cytologic analysis was proved to have high statistical reproducibility (P less than 0.01 for spermatogonia and secondary spermatocytes and P less than 0.001 for the other cell types, when compared between differential counts) and permitted identification of different situations associated with azoospermia: Sertoli cell-only syndrome, germ depopulation (hypospermatogenesis), spermatogonial arrest, spermatidic arrest, and obstructive azoospermia. These findings agreed with clinical and hormonal parameters and with the results of bilateral surgical biopsies, when performed. CONCLUSIONS: The results support use of FNA of the testis as a noninvasive diagnostic parameter for the assessment of azoospermic subjects.
Authors: D Zuccarello; E Morini; S Douzgou; A Ferlin; A Pizzuti; D C Salpietro; C Foresta; B Dallapiccola Journal: J Endocrinol Invest Date: 2004-09 Impact factor: 4.256
Authors: Andrea Garolla; Damiano Pizzol; Andrea Roberto Carosso; Andrea Borini; Filippo Maria Ubaldi; Aldo Eugenio Calogero; Alberto Ferlin; Antonio Lanzone; Francesco Tomei; Bruno Engl; Laura Rienzi; Lucia De Santis; Giovanni Coticchio; Lee Smith; Rossella Cannarella; Attilio Anastasi; Massimo Menegazzo; Liborio Stuppia; Christian Corsini; Carlo Foresta Journal: Front Endocrinol (Lausanne) Date: 2021-01-19 Impact factor: 5.555