Table 2 Summary table of key studies (n = 9) on computed tomography cavernosography for diagnosis and treatment planning of venogenic erectile dysfunction with a level of evidence designation. Levels of evidence are defined using the grading system adapted from the American Society of Plastic Surgeons and Johns Hopkins nursing evidence-based practice: Models and Guidelines ([23]; Dang and Dearholt 2017)—(see Table 1)
Authors | Year | Title | Number of patients | Study design | Key points, data, summary | Level of Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ghafoori et al. [25] | 2010 | CT Cavernosography: A New Method for Evaluating Venous Incompetence in Impotent Patients | 67 | Prospective | Initial report on use of CT cavernosography for diagnosing venous leak in patients with erectile dysfunction and treatment planning | II |
Kawanishi et al. [26] | 2011 | Three-dimensional CT cavernosography: reconsidering venous ligation surgery on the basis of the modern technology | 55 | Prospective | Using diagnostic CT cavernosography, site-specific venous leak identification was superior to simulated conventional cavernosography images with maximum intensity projection (100% vs.19.4%) | II |
Virag et al. [27] | 2011 | New classification of anomalous venous drainage using caverno-computed tomography in men with erectile dysfunction | 38 | Prospective | Development of an anatomical classification allowing for differentiation between deep and/or superficial venous leakage important for diagnosis and treatment planning | II |
Xu et al. [19] | 2017 | Comprehensive assessment of cavernosography with 320-row dynamic volume CT versus conventional cavernosography in erectile dysfunction patients caused by venous leakage | 174 | Prospective | Diagnosing venous leakage with CT cavernosography and conventional cavernosography (control group) and anatomical classification for venous leakage (superficial, deep, mixed, and other) for treatment planning | II |
Herwig et al. [28] | 2017 | CT Cavernosography and Penile Venous Leak | 49 | Retrospective | CT cavernosography was successfully used in all patients with suspected venous leakage for diagnosis and endovascular treatment planning (82% reported clinical success rate of treatment) | II |
Ye et al. [11] | 2018 | Computed tomography cavernosography combined with volume rendering to observe venous leakage in young patients with erectile dysfunction | 186 | Prospective | CT cavernosography for diagnosing venous leakage and classification as deep dorsal vein, prostatic venous plexus, crural vein, or complex (84.2%) as an important basis for appropriate treatment planning (endovascular embolization vs. surgical ligation) | II |
Sussman et al. [29] | 2020 | Ultrasonography after pharmacological stimulation of erection for the diagnosis and therapeutic follow-up of erectile dysfunction due to cavernovenous leakage | 50 | Prospective | Comparison of Duplex sonography and CT cavernosography is superior for diagnosing venous leak demonstrating a low negative predictive value (47%) of duplex sonography recommending CT cavernosography also for treatment planning | II |
Allaire et al. [30] | 2021 | Erectile Dysfunction Resistant to Medical Treatment Caused by Cavernovenous Leakage: An Innovative Surgical Approach Combining Pre-operative Work Up, Embolisation, and Open Surgery | 45 | Retrospective | CT cavernosography for pre-operative treatment planning of endovascular embolization and also for 3-months follow up (73% reported clinical success rate of treatment) | II |
Diehm et al. [31] | 2023 | Venous Leak Embolization in Patients with Venogenic Erectile Dysfunction via Deep Dorsal Penile Vein Access: Safety and Early Efficacy | 50 | Retrospective | Diagnostic use of CT cavernosography in all patients for endovascular treatment planning of target vein embolization via penile venous access (68% reported clinical success rate of treatment) | II |