What are the chances of that, then?

[DaveUK]

Thanks Karen ..just about to go.

[DaveUK]

Well, ultrasound man gives me a commentary and says there is a small cyst at the top of each testicle. The large "hard" area lower down on the inside of one - that the female GP thought was a hard lump - was just another "soft tissue structure" (he said there are lots of these which may feel hard but they ain't cancer on the ultrasound). There's also some fluid around the testicles. He said definitely no cancer.

I was unprepared for this, and he said I didn't look like I believed him. When I started saying 'what about this and that' he said 'you're the first person I've ever had disappointed not to have cancer!'. He didn't seem interested in discussing my perception of lumps, it was simple case of 'ultrasound says no'; there's no cancer there. He was very pleasant and Jovial, and ended up exclaiming at the top of his voice (easily audible in the waiting room next door) "Mr xxxx, I assure you, there's is definitely nothing wrong with your testicles!". Results to GP, who I should see next week. No blood test.

I'm sort of elated but still concerned. I think it's the fact that tried to plug the wrong end of the probe into the machine/display at the start. How can a radiologist not know one end from the other? On the other hand, I got the impression he'd done it plenty of times before once he started. But he didn't move the probe about much, just pressed it against the inside of each testicle; I expected he'd cover the whole surface. Is that sufficient? He also didn't turn the lights down, which I thought they do.

Pretty certain I've found him on the medical register and he's a specialist clinical radiologist registered since '96 and qualified in Cape Town SA in '79, so he ought to know what he's doing.

Sorry for too much detail, but just composing thoughts. Anyway, any chance he's wrong?

[DaveUK]

Er, no thoughts on my ultrasound man's technique??
Do they not normally move it around a bit more. And is the ultrasound's all clear sufficient?

[Karen]

Hi Dave,
I didn't abandon you ....I've have lots of ultrasounds but obviously none on testicles . I was waiting for the guys to chime in.

An ultrasound, properly done and read by an experienced radiologist should put your mind at ease. If you are not happy with it you can get your films and have another radiologist look at them. Was the ultrasound man a radiologist or technician? My husbands US technician told him there was something there but nothing to worry about......the urologist was the one who looked at the films and knew.

[Karen]

Dave,
Googled a bit and the ultrasound man should have done many passes over the testicles with the transducer. A soft tissue structure....of what??? Ultrasounds can detect if a mass is solid ot fluid filled but can't diagnose cancer or not. Also, I noticed he said there was fluid (which can be nothing more than a hydrocele). I'd call the GP, tell him that you have concerns about the performance of the US and the fluid in the testicle and request another one with a different technician. This is your body and your life and if you do not believe you were properly diagnosed and are still concerned then make a fuss. Can you go to a urologist instead of a GP? If you have another US and it shows nothing then relax.

[DaveUK]

Hi Karen,

He introduced himself as "Dr", and I'm certain I've found him on the register. He's an "MB ChB" (medical degree, bachelor of surgery), and is also on the 'clinical radiology' specialist register.

He said there are all manner of "soft tissue structures" in the testicles that might feel hard "to you" but don't show up on the ultrasound, and are definitely not cancer.

He squirted the gunge, told me to put my legs together, and held the probe quite firmly on the inside of the one being done. Almost as soon as he put it there, he said there's a cyst - which was right at the top. He did then move it slightly up but basically held it firmly against the inside of the one being done. After my continued disbelief, I remember now him putting it back down and moving it up and across to about the middle-front area and pressing quite hard. He said, 'look there's nothing here - what can I tell you?'. I expected it to be like a shaver covering the whole area, but it seemed to be more a technique of holding it firmly against the testicle to get a good contact. Perhaps it's the way some devices work?

Well, anyway, I'm seeing the GP on tuesday.

Thanks for looking into it for me, Karen!