A Comparative Investigation Applying Testicular Fine Needle Aspiration Cytology and Open Testicular Biopsy Histology for the Diagnosis of Azoospermia and Severe Oligospermia

Arch Razi Inst. 2023 Aug 31;78(4):1343-1348. doi: 10.32592/ARI.2023.78.4.1343. eCollection 2023 Aug.

Abstract

Open testicular biopsy histology and fine needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) are the most popular tests used to diagnose male infertility. This study aimed to assess the cytological characteristics of 186 infertile males aged 24-63 with testicular FNAC. Furthermore, the existing relationship between males with severe oligospermia (sperm count: 5 million/ml) and azoospermia was investigated via both cytological and histological diagnosis methods. With a 1.5-inch and 25-gauge needle, the testis was aspirated from three locations (the upper, middle, and lower poles). Papanicolaou stain or Giemsa stain was used to make smears on albumenized slides, which were then dried in the air and stained. A biopsy of the testicles was performed there, preserved in Bouins solution, processed as usual, and stained with hematoxylin and eosin stain. According to our findings, 66.7% of patients had secondary maturation arrest, whereas 18.3% and 15.1% of them had hypospermatogenesis and Sertoli cell only (SCO). Results of the comparison showed that both procedures were very similar. According to biopsy histological examinations, only 3 (1.6%) of the 28 normal FNAC instances had hypospermatogenesis with lymphocyte infiltration. The majority of SCO patients were over 50 years old. These findings revealed that FNAC is more effective than testicular histology for the assessment of male infertility.

Keywords: Aspiration; Azoospermia; Biopsy; Cytology; Oligospermia.

MeSH terms

  • Azoospermia* / diagnosis
  • Azoospermia* / pathology
  • Azoospermia* / veterinary
  • Biopsy, Fine-Needle / methods
  • Biopsy, Fine-Needle / veterinary
  • Humans
  • Infertility, Male* / pathology
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Oligospermia* / diagnosis
  • Oligospermia* / pathology
  • Semen
  • Testis / pathology