Male Accessory Gland Infections (MAGI) : patient questionnaire and additional ultrasonography criteria

Male Accessory Gland Infections (MAGI) refers to a syndrome that has generated considerable debate recently in relation to its possible role in causing certain acquired conditions of male fertility. A further characterization of the syndrome based on symptoms and ultrasonographic findings has therefore become necessary. The article examines the practical outcome of the use of a new questionnaire designed specifically for patients with MAGI and that inquires about: 1) the range of associated symptoms (pelvic discomfort, micturition disorders, sexuality, quality of life); 2) the possible relationship between progress of prostate inflammation/infection or retrograde spread of inflammation/infection to the seminal vesicles and/or the epididymis and symptom severity; 3) combined sequential medical therapy based on the quality of the anamnestic changes the patient reports on the questionnaire. The need to improve targeted diagnosis, the requisite for correct diagnostic characterization of this patient category, has drawn increasing attention to non-conventional sonographic aspects, thus permitting the following hypotheses: 1) a possible role of characterization according to non-conventional criteria in terms of diagnostic specificity and sensitivity; 2) a possible role of sonography at initial diagnosis and during follow-up, particularly in relation to the possibility of identifying by ultrasonography the category of patients who test negative at microbiological analysis after treatment, despite continued symptoms with or without abnormal conventional parameters.