Testicular (scrotal) ultrasound

What is a testicular (scrotal) ultrasound?

A testicular or scrotal ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves, not X-rays or radiation, to create a live picture of the testicles (testes) and the surrounding scrotum on a screen. A radiologist or sonographer moves a small hand-held probe over the skin to see the structures clearly.

It is one of the main tests for finding out what is causing a lump, swelling, pain or other change in the scrotum. It can show whether a lump is inside the testicle or separate from it, and whether it is solid or filled with fluid, which helps work out how likely it is to be serious.

This scan is important because a lump in the testicle itself can be a sign of testicular cancer. A testicular lump should be assessed promptly — it should not be left or watched at home. The good news is that ultrasound is very good at this question, and most scrotal problems turn out not to be cancer, but the only way to be sure is to be checked.

The scan is a key part of the picture but works alongside an examination and, where cancer is suspected, blood tests. Your clinician will explain what the findings mean and what should happen next.

Types, options & approaches

There may be different ways to do this. The right approach depends on the clinical question and your circumstances.

Lump in the testicle vs alongside it

Ultrasound is good at telling these apart, but any new testicular lump should be assessed promptly rather than watched.

Preparing for your scan

• You usually need no special preparation — eat and drink normally and take your usual medicines.
• Wear clothing you can easily adjust; you will be asked to lower or remove underwear and will be given a covering.
• It can help to bring a brief note of your symptoms — when they started and any changes.
• Tell the team about previous scrotal or testicle problems, surgery or scans.
• Bring any previous scan reports or clinic letters if you have them.
• If you have sudden, severe testicle pain, do not wait for a routine scan — seek urgent care, as this can be an emergency.

What happens

You lie on a couch and a towel or cover is positioned to keep the rest of you covered. The radiologist or sonographer puts warm gel on the scrotum and moves a small probe gently over the skin to look at each testicle and the area around it. You may feel mild pressure but it should not be painful, though a very tender testicle can feel sensitive.

The scan usually takes about 15 to 20 minutes. The person doing it watches live images on a screen and saves pictures, and will often use colour Doppler to check blood flow, especially if pain or torsion is a concern. They may ask about your symptoms as they go.

Afterwards you can wipe off the gel and dress. Sometimes a brief comment can be given, but the detailed findings are written into a report that goes to the clinician who referred you. If anything looks suspicious for cancer, this is treated as urgent and a specialist referral is arranged quickly.

Is this scan right for me?

A good consultation should explore whether it's the right choice for you now — including reasons to wait or consider something else.

Before you decide

Use this as a shared-decision checklist. The aim is not just “can this be done?”, but whether it is right for you, now, with the risks and alternatives clearly understood.

The scan itself is very safe. The most important point is not to let a normal-feeling result delay action on a genuine lump, and not to let a scan replace urgent care for sudden severe pain. A twisted testicle (torsion) is a surgical emergency where time matters, so sudden severe testicle pain should be treated as urgent regardless of any planned scan. Ask your clinician what the findings mean and what the plan is.

Published figures to discuss

Ultrasound is highly accurate for distinguishing solid testicular lumps from harmless fluid-filled or extra-testicular ones, which is why it is the first-line test for a scrotal lump. However, it is interpreted alongside examination and blood tests, and a definite cancer diagnosis is made by a specialist, often at surgery. Exact accuracy figures vary by study and setting; the note below reflects published NHS information rather than a precise rate.

These are literature figures, not a personalised prediction. Your own risks and likely benefits depend on your circumstances, your health, and how your care is carried out and followed up.

What happens afterwards

There is no physical recovery from the scan — you can go straight back to normal activity. 'Afterwards' is mainly about getting your result and understanding what it means and what happens next.

• No after-effects from the scan itself
• Mild lingering tenderness only if the testicle was already sore
• Some natural worry while waiting for results
• Being asked for blood tests or a specialist appointment if anything needs following up

Aftercare

• There is nothing special to do after the scan — return to normal activity straight away.
• Make sure you know who will give you the result and when.
• Attend any blood tests or specialist appointment that is arranged.
• Keep checking your testicles and report any new or changing lump, even if this scan was reassuring.
• Do not ignore a lump because it does not hurt — most testicular cancers are usually not painful.
• Seek urgent care for sudden severe testicle pain, even after a normal scan.
• Ask for your result if you have not heard within the expected time.

• Brief note of symptoms and when they started
• Easy-to-adjust clothing for the appointment
• Previous scan reports or clinic letters to bring
• A clear note of how and when results will be given
• Knowledge of who to contact if results are delayed
• Awareness of emergency signs (sudden severe pain) and where to go

⚠ Get urgent help if…

• Sudden, severe pain in a testicle, with or without swelling — seek emergency care, as this may be a twisted testicle (torsion)
• A new or growing lump in a testicle — get assessed promptly, even if it is usually not painful
• A testicle that becomes hard, swollen or changes shape
• A heavy, dragging feeling or a dull ache in the scrotum that does not settle
• Fever with a hot, very tender scrotum (possible infection)
• A lump or swelling alongside other symptoms such as a cough, breathlessness or back pain

Who to contact: your clinician, clinic or test provider first (keep their number to hand). For urgent advice when you can't reach them, call NHS 111. In an emergency, call 999.

General guidance — it doesn't replace the specific advice your radiologist gives you.

Results & realistic expectations

A reassuring scan often shows that a lump is a harmless cyst, fluid (hydrocele) or varicose veins (varicocele), or that the testicles look normal, and frequently no further action is needed. If a solid lump inside the testicle is seen, it is treated as possible cancer until proven otherwise, and you will be referred urgently to a specialist for blood tests and further assessment.

Ultrasound is very good at this, but it is interpreted alongside examination and, where relevant, blood tests rather than in isolation. A normal scan today does not remove the need to stay testicle aware, because a new change can appear later. If you have any new or growing lump, it should be checked even after a previous normal result.

A scan is a snapshot in time. A normal result does not protect against a change in the future, so it is sensible to keep checking your testicles regularly and to seek assessment for any new lump. If a harmless finding such as a small cyst is being watched, your clinician may arrange a repeat scan after a period to confirm it is stable.

Related tests, treatments or support

A scrotal ultrasound is usually combined with a clinical examination, and with blood tests (tumour markers) when cancer is suspected. If a testicular cancer is being assessed, it may be followed by a CT scan to check whether it has spread. Your clinician decides the right combination for your situation.

Follow-up & long-term care

How you get your result depends on the setting. Sometimes a brief comment is offered after the scan, but the formal report goes to the clinician who referred you, often within days, and they will discuss it with you. If a possible cancer is found, an urgent specialist referral is made, usually within two weeks. Make sure you know who is responsible for giving you the result and chase it if you do not hear.

Repeat, follow-on and what comes next

• A harmless-looking finding such as a small cyst may be rescanned later to confirm it is stable.
• An uncertain or technically difficult scan may need repeating or a specialist opinion.
• A suspicious result leads to urgent specialist referral rather than a repeat scan.

Ask what happens if the result is unclear or needs repeating, and what is included if further tests or follow-up are needed.

What good aftercare looks like

• A clear named route to get your result and ask questions.
• Prompt, organised urgent referral if anything suspicious is found.
• A safety-net message to seek help for a new lump or sudden severe pain even after a normal scan.
• Clear advice on staying testicle aware and how to check yourself.

What affects the cost

Costs vary a great deal between people and providers, and we don't publish prices. What matters is understanding what drives the cost and making sure your quote is complete. The main things that affect it:

• Whether the scan is a single test or part of a fuller urology assessment
• Whether colour Doppler (blood flow) is included, as it usually is
• The seniority of the radiologist doing and reporting the scan
• Whether a same-day report and consultation are included
• Any blood tests requested alongside the scan
• Any follow-up appointment to discuss results

• The scan fee and who performs and reports it
• Whether examination and blood tests are included if needed
• Whether a written report goes to your GP or referring clinician
• A follow-up appointment to discuss results
• What happens, and what it costs, if an urgent referral is needed
• How and when results are provided

On the NHS? Scrotal ultrasound is widely available on the NHS when clinically needed, and a suspected testicular cancer is referred urgently; some people choose private imaging for speed.

You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including reports, follow-up and what happens if the result is inconclusive — before you decide.

Consent traps and marketing red flags

These are not small details. They are often where patients lose choice, time to reflect, or realistic expectations.

Choosing a specialist safely

• Check the radiologist is on the GMC Specialist Register for this area.
• Make sure they work at a CQC-registered service, and look for membership of the relevant Royal College or professional body.
• You're entitled to time to consider and to have your questions answered before you agree — the radiologist who looks after you should explain it, not a salesperson.
• Be wary of pressure: time-limited offers or deposits taken before you've had time to think are red flags, not bargains.
• You're entitled to your total cost in writing — including any follow-up — before you decide.

How Vuemedics verifies every consultant →

Take this to your consultation. A good radiologist will welcome every one of these.

• Is the lump inside the testicle or separate from it, and what does that mean?
• Does this finding need blood tests or an urgent specialist referral?
• If the scan is normal, what should I do if my symptom continues or a new lump appears?
• Could my pain be something urgent like a twisted testicle?
• Who will give me my result, and when?
• Do I need any follow-up scan to check this over time?
• Are you on the GMC Specialist Register for this area, and which Royal College or professional body are you a member of?
• Will you be the radiologist who carries out my scan, and who looks after me afterwards?
• What are the risks for someone like me, and how often do your own patients have a problem or need it repeated or redone?
• What does a realistic result look like — and what can this scan not achieve?
• What are my options, including waiting, doing nothing for now, or choosing a different approach?
• Can I have written information, results and aftercare instructions in a format I can use, including any accessibility or communication support I need?
• What is the total cost in writing, including any follow-ups, and how much time do I have to decide?

Find a verified radiologist for testicular (scrotal) ultrasound

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How we made this page

Medically reviewed by a GMC-registered consultant. Written in plain English, checked against NHS, NICE, GMC and relevant Royal College / specialist-society guidance, and kept under review. No clinic paid to appear on this page, and we publish no pricing. This is general information to help you prepare — it is not a substitute for advice from your own clinician. How we review our guides →

Source hierarchy: UK regulator and NHS/NICE guidance first, then relevant Royal College or specialist-society guidance, then peer-reviewed evidence for procedure-specific figures where available.

Sources & standards: NHS — Testicular cancer: diagnosis Cancer Research UK — Tests for testicular cancer British Association of Urological Surgeons (BAUS) — Testicular cancer RCR — Standards for the provision of an ultrasound service

Reviews reflect patients' experience of care, not clinical outcomes. For procedure volumes and outcome data see PHIN.

Last medically reviewed 2026-09-21. Spotted something wrong or out of date? Report an error in this guide.