Evaluation of penile arteries in papaverine-induced erection with color Doppler ultrasonography.

OBJECTIVE: Color Doppler ultrasonography is a useful method in the evaluation of small vessels and vascular anatomy and in demonstrating dynamic changes of blood flow. The detrimental effects of different risk factors of erectile dysfunction such as diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia on the penile arterial system were investigated. METHOD: 180 patients with erectile dysfunction underwent functional evaluation of the arterial system by combined intracavernous injection of 60 mg papaverine and stimulation test and color Doppler ultrasonography. RESULTS: There were 64 patients (35.55%) whose vascular findings were normal. A total of 36 patients (20.00%) had arterial insufficiency and 42 patients (23.33%) had mixed-arteriogenic-venogenic impotence. Combination of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia was found to be more detrimental to the penile arterial system than hypertension alone, the presence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus together, diabetes alone and hypercholesterolemia. CONCLUSION: Color Doppler ultrasonography depends on variables such as equipment, operation and software version in the functional evaluation of the penile arterial system. The combination of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia was found to be more detrimental to the penile arterial system. Further studies based on larger patient populations are required in order to determine the effects of erectile dysfunction contributing disease on the penile arterial system.