Which structures are palpated during a manual scrotal examination?

Which structures are palpated during a manual scrotal examination?

• A. Lungs, heart, abdomen
• B. Kidney, bladder, ureter
• C. Liver, spleen
• D. Testicles, epididymis, spermatic cords

Answer: (D)

During a manual scrotal examination, you palpate the contents of the scrotum: the testicles, the epididymis, and the spermatic cords. You assess each testis for size, shape, consistency, and tenderness, feel the epididymis along the posterior aspect for any tenderness or abnormal thickening, and trace the spermatic cord upward toward the inguinal canal to check for tenderness, masses, or changes in feel. Other structures listed are not part of the scrotal contents and aren’t evaluated in this exam. Lungs, heart, and abdomen are inspected in separate chest/abdominal exams. Kidneys, bladder, and ureters reside outside the scrotum, and the liver and spleen are in the upper abdomen, so they aren’t palpated through a scrotal exam.

During a manual scrotal examination, you palpate the contents of the scrotum: the testicles, the epididymis, and the spermatic cords. You assess each testis for size, shape, consistency, and tenderness, feel the epididymis along the posterior aspect for any tenderness or abnormal thickening, and trace the spermatic cord upward toward the inguinal canal to check for tenderness, masses, or changes in feel.

Other structures listed are not part of the scrotal contents and aren’t evaluated in this exam. Lungs, heart, and abdomen are inspected in separate chest/abdominal exams. Kidneys, bladder, and ureters reside outside the scrotum, and the liver and spleen are in the upper abdomen, so they aren’t palpated through a scrotal exam.