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Erectile dysfunction: the role of penile Doppler ultrasound in diagnosis

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Abstract

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common and debilitating condition with physical, psychological, and pharmacological aetiologies. The physical causes can be divided into problems with arterial inflow, structural penile abnormalities, or problems with the venous occlusion mechanism. Penile Doppler sonography is a specialized technique requiring a thorough knowledge of the topic in order to aid diagnosis and direct subsequent treatment. This technique is indicated in those patients with erectile dysfunction who do not respond to oral pharmacological agents (e.g., PDE-5 inhibitors). This pictorial essay will visit the anatomy and physiology of penile erection, the technique for performing the procedure, and review the imaging features for specific causes of ED.

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Acknowledgments

The authors are very grateful to Taylor and Francis Books, UK, for the use of the following illustrations: Figures 1, 2, 4, 5, and 9 from the Textbook of Erectile Dysfunction, edited by Carson, Kirby, and Goldstein, 1st edition, May 1999.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, St. George’s Hospital, London, UK

    James Halls, Gareth Bydawell & Uday Patel

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  1. James Halls
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  2. Gareth Bydawell
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  3. Uday Patel
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Correspondence to James Halls.

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Halls, J., Bydawell, G. & Patel, U. Erectile dysfunction: the role of penile Doppler ultrasound in diagnosis. Abdom Imaging 34, 712–725 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00261-008-9463-x

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