Assessment of spermatogenic process by deoxyribonucleic acid image analysis

Objective To evaluate the spermatogenic process through cellular ploidy by image analysis. Design Twenty-six testicular aspirates from 24 infertile men were examined by fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytologic smears. These results were compared with the ploidy content of the cells using Feulgen stain, determined by image analysis. Results The results of both methods were divided into three categories: full spermatogenesis, spermatogenic arrest, and only Sertoli cell. There was a good correlation in 25 of 26 smears (96%). Ten patients who had a histogram of diploid showed only Sertoli cell cytologically. From nine patients who had a histogram of diploid and tetraploid, eight cytologically showed spermatogenic arrest and one showed full spermatogenesis. The seven patients who had full spermatogenesis (haploid, diploid, tetraploid) all had normal cytologic smears. Conclusions Deoxyribonucleic acid image analysis is an objective qualitative and quantitative method for the evaluation of the spermatogenic process of the infertile male. It has several advantages over the flow cytometry method.