DIAGNOSTIC ACCURACY OF ULTRASOUND IN THE DIAGNOSIS OF TESTICULAR TORSION IN PEDIATRIC POPULATION TAKING SURGICAL FINDINGS AS THE GOL

Abstract

Testicular torsion is a critical condition that requires immediate medical attention and repair to preserve the testicle. Even though ultrasound is often used to diagnose, its correctness in children is still controversial. The purpose of this study is to determine the accuracy of ultrasound test results in detecting testicular torsion in children and adolescents (aged 2-16 years), as confirmed by surgical findings. A cross-sectional study was designed and done at Khyber Teaching Hospital, Peshawar, on 143 patients who were children with sudden scrotal pain. First, an ultrasound exam was performed on all patients, and then they had surgery. Blood flow, patterns of the echo, and the whirlpool sign were all considered during the examination. Accuracy measures, including sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV), were determined using 2 × 2 contingency tables. According to ultrasound interpretation, the test accurately processes 86.7% of cases and yields false positives in 13.3% of the total cases. Overall, the diagnostic accuracy was 78.3%. This approach revealed testicular torsion in 98 cases, and 62 were operated on by orchiopexy, while the other 36 patients had their testicles removed with orchiectomy. The absence of blood flow predicted torsion the best (OR: 7.34, p<0.001). Ultrasound helps in identifying testicular torsion in young patients, making it a helpful backup method for doctors at emergency clinics.