Differential Diagnosis Between Functional and Organic Impotence by Radioisotope Penogram Following Visual Sexual Stimulation

Abstract

The radioisotope penogram, which measures changes of blood flow through the penis, was developed and applied as a measure of objective differentiation between functional and organic impotence. In the present study, changes in the radioisotope penogram curve were studied following visual sexual Stimulation. In patients with functional impotence, the penogram curve rose in response to visual sexual stimulation. However in cases with an organic defect in the nervous system which participates in erection, including the upper erection center, there was no change in the penogram curve despite that the sexual excitation occurred in response to visual sexual stimulation. Therefore, this method was found to be useful for the differential diagnosis. © 1973, Tohoku University Medical Press. All rights reserved.