Erectile dysfunction: the role of penile Doppler ultrasound in diagnosis

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common and debilitating condition with physical, psychological, and pharmacological aetiologies. The physical causes can be divided into problems with arterial inflow, structural penile abnormalities, or problems with the venous occlusion mechanism. Penile Doppler sonography is a specialized technique requiring a thorough knowledge of the topic in order to aid diagnosis and direct subsequent treatment. This technique is indicated in those patients with erectile dysfunction who do not respond to oral pharmacological agents (e.g., PDE-5 inhibitors). This pictorial essay will visit the anatomy and physiology of penile erection, the technique for performing the procedure, and review the imaging features for specific causes of ED.