Thermal Imaging in the Diagnosis of Acute Testicular Pain

NCT07324590 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: R25054L
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 150
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Acute scrotal pain due to testicular torsion is a rare but urgent urological condition that requires immediate surgery to prevent permanent damage or loss of the testicle. Early detection is crucial to minimize delays from the onset of pain to operative treatment. The diagnosis of torsion involves a combination of physical examination and imaging studies, such as Doppler ultrasound (DU). However, DU requires an experienced radiologist and may cause unnecessary time delays. Thermal imaging is a noninvasive technique that can detect skin surface temperature variations using a highly sensitive infrared camera. Although there are some promising animal studies using thermal imaging for the diagnosis of testicular ischemia, number of studies in humans is very limited. According to a small pilot study in 2024, thermal imaging is a fast, feasible and noninvasive diagnostic tool that seems to have considerable potential in the evaluation of patients with acute testicular pain, especially those with symptoms of testicular torsion. However, further research with a larger sample size is needed. In this multicenter study, the investigators aim is to determine the role of thermal imaging in the diagnosis of acute testicular pain. Males with acute testicular pain entering emergency are included. After informed consent thermal image of testicles will be taken before any additional investigations such as laboratory tests and DU. Participants are treated as usual and testicular temperatures will be correlated with final diagnosis after approximately 6-month study period is over.

Conditions

Testicular Diseases

Keywords

Testicular torsion; epididymites; testicular appendages torsion; Testicular pain

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• To determine role of thermal imaging in the diagnoses of acute testicular pain. To evaluate the effect of funicular ligation on testicular temperature (substudy 1).

  Temperatures of testicles * Comparison of temperatures (temperature diffrence) in Celsius of symptomatic and asymptomatic testicles * Temperatures of testicle in Celsius before and 5, 10 and 15 minutes after ligation of funicle (substudy 1)

  Thermal picture is taken once at baseline. In substudy 1, thermal pictures of testicle will be taken at 0, 5, 10 and 15 minutes

Study Arms (1)

Patients with acute testicular pain

EXPERIMENTAL

Device: Thermidas thermal camera

Interventions

Thermidas thermal camera DEVICE

This kind of study has not been perfomed before

Patients with acute testicular pain

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: male
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Males, who come to emergency department due to acute testicular pain and sign informed consent.
• Sub-study 1: Adult males, who are having funicular orchiectomy due to testicular cancer and sign informed consent.

You may not qualify if:

• Previous surgery or other operative procedure such as puncture in scrotal area within 30 days.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Seinajoki Central Hospital: lead
• Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa: collaborator
• Turku University Hospital: collaborator
• Kuopio University Hospital: collaborator
• Oulu University Hospital: collaborator
• Tampere University Hospital: collaborator
• Pori Central Hospital: collaborator
• Jyväskylä Central Hospital: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Hanneksenrinne 7

Seinäjoki, 60220, Finland

Location

Related Publications (1)

• Brooks JP, Brooks JM, Seals T. Smartphone Thermal Imaging in the Detection of Testicular Ischemia. Urology. 2021 Nov;157:233-238. doi: 10.1016/j.urology.2021.02.031. Epub 2021 Mar 6.

  PMID: 33689763 BACKGROUND

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Testicular Diseases; Spermatic Cord Torsion

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Genital Diseases, Male; Genital Diseases; Urogenital Diseases; Male Urogenital Diseases; Gonadal Disorders; Endocrine System Diseases

Study Officials

• Mika P Raitanen, M.D., Ph.D, associate prof

  Seinöjoki Central Hospital

  STUDY CHAIR

Central Study Contacts

Mika P Raitanen, M.D, Ph.D, associate professor

CONTACT

+358 40 5123068; mika.raitanen@hyvaep.fi

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: DIAGNOSTIC
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor, chief clinician

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 21, 2025
• First Posted: January 7, 2026
• Study Start: January 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): August 30, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 31, 2026
• Last Updated: January 7, 2026

Record last verified: 2025-12

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will share
• Shared Documents: STUDY PROTOCOL, CSR

Locations

FI (1)