Ultrasound Imaging of Testes and Epididymides of
Normal and Infertile Breeding Bulls
Khalid Mahmood Ali, Nazir Ahmad*, Nafees Akhtar,
Shujait Ali, Maqbool Ahmad and Muhammad Younis1
Department of Theriogenology, University of Agriculture,
Faisalabad; 1Semen Production Unit,
Qadirabad, District Sahiwal,
Pakistan *Corresponding author:
profnazir53@hotmail.com
Abstract
Echotexture of testes and epididymides from 10
slaughtered male buffaloes was studied. Diameter of testis and mediastinum
testis was measured by ultrasound and compared with respective values taken by
calipers. Testes and epididymides of 10 fertile and 10 infertile breeding bulls
were examined in vivo through manual
palpation and ultrasound imaging. Semen quality of these bulls was also
monitored. There were significant (P<0.01) positive correlations between
ultrasound and calipers values of all parameters. The testicular parenchyma of
fertile bulls was uniformly homogeneous and moderately echogenic. Epididymal
tail was more heterogeneous and less echogenic, while epididymal head was
homogeneous and less echogenic, than the testicular parenchyma. The epididymal
body appeared as hypoechoic structure with echogenic margin. Among 10 infertile
bulls, nine had poor semen quality, while one bull failed to give any ejaculate.
On ultrasonography, six bulls showed abnormalities in their scrotal echotexture.
Among these, one had an abundance of hyperechoic areas scattered in the
testicular parenchyma, some of these showed acoustic shadowing, showing
testicular degenerations with mineralization. The secondbull showed many anechoic areas in the testes and epididymal head,
demarcated from the rest of the organ by well defined margins. In the third
bull,three-fourth of the right
testis showed hyperechoic areas, suspected of testicular degeneration with
mineralization. The fourth bull had two anechoic areas in one testis assumed to
represent dilated blood vessel. The fifth bull showed small hyperechoic areas
within the testicular parenchyma. The sixth bull showed an anechoic area with
distinct hyperechogenic margin below the testicular tunics. The remaining four
bulls had normal echogenicity of testes and epididymides in spite of poor semen
quality. In conclusion, diagnostic ultrasound may be included in breeding
soundness examination of breeding bulls.