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Tests and diagnosis
By Mayo Clinic staffYour doctor asks you questions to verify whether your signs and symptoms are caused by testicular torsion or something else. He or she also examines your scrotum, testicles, abdomen and groin.
Your doctor may also test your reflexes by lightly rubbing or pinching the inside of your thigh on the affected side. Normally this causes the testicle to contract. This reflex probably won't occur if you have testicular torsion.
Doctors often diagnose testicular torsion with just a physical exam. Sometimes medical tests are necessary to confirm a diagnosis or to help identify another cause for your symptoms. These include:
- Urine tests or blood tests, to see whether your signs and symptoms are caused by an infection.
- Scrotal ultrasound, which uses high-frequency sound waves to create images of your testicle and check for blood flow. Decreased blood flow to the testicle is a sign of testicular torsion.
- Nuclear scan of the testicles, which involves injecting tiny amounts of radioactive material into your bloodstream. Special cameras then can detect areas in your testicles that receive less blood flow, indicating torsion.
- Surgery. Sometimes surgery is necessary to identify whether symptoms are caused by testicular torsion or another condition.
