P4A053: Novel Automated Orchidometer for Accurate Point-of-care Testicular Volume Measurements in Pediatric Patients

Background: Accurate measurements of testicular volume is needed for pediatric male patients with conditions such as undescended testicles, testicular torsion, and varicoceles. Currently available tools such as the Prader and Rochester orchidometers require estimations of testicular size based on comparisons to beads or holes and therefore are subject to human error. Repetitive scrotal ultrasounds for testicular size determination is cost-prohibitive. In collaboration with engineering design teams at local engineering schools, our goal was to develop a novel low-cost point-of-care automated orchidometer that can accurately measure testicular size/volume in a busy clinic setting.

Methods: A prototype for an automated orchidometer that used a rolling wheel and caliper system to measure the longitudinal circumference, width, and height of the testes, an internal light source with an integrated optical encoder and gear system to capture the radial distance traveled, and a digitalized caliper to measure the two linear dimensions, was developed and tested on a benchtop model (Figure 1). Volume measurements were displayed on a LCD screen.

Results: The handheld prototype device promptly and accurately measured an egg-shaped benchtop model of testicular size/volume. The device simultaneously captured all dimensions of the benchtop model and displayed volume measurements on a digital screen. There were no statistically significant differences between the devices’ estimated volume measurements and the true volumetric measurements determined by water displacement (Figure 2 – middle grey bars)

Conclusion: A novel hand-held automated orchidometer can promptly and accurately provide volume measurements similar to measured volumes. Future studies in clinical settings will assess the patient and provider usability of this device for the assessment of pediatric testicular conditions.