Numerous male genitourinary devices exist to improve sexual function, for cosmetic enhancement, or for the treatment of incontinence. Familiarity with these devices is critical for accurate radiological interpretation, particularly as their utilization continues to increase. Penile prostheses are implanted for the treatment of erectile dysfunction. Inflatable penile prostheses account for the majority of implantable devices and consist of paired cylinders within the corpora cavernosa that can be inflated to produce erection. Malleable penile prostheses are less common and less cosmetically appealing but have lower rates of mechanical failure and may be preferable in patients with reduced dexterity. Cosmetic enhancements include medically placed devices to augment the appearance of the penile shaft such as the Himplant™ and non-medical modifications including placement of penile pearls or injection of free silicone. Treatments for male urinary incontinence may be both non-invasive, such as the Contino urethral insert or penile clamp, or surgically implanted, such as the artificial urinary sphincter. Prostatic urethral lifts may be used to treat symptoms of urinary retention related to benign prostatic hyperplasia. Miscellaneous devices may include SpaceOAR™ hydrogel, which is implanted between the prostate and rectum to reduce rectal dose during prostate radiotherapy.
European journal of radiology. 2026 Mar 27 [Epub]
Andrew D Chung, Yashant Aswani, Leo L Tsai
Department of Radiology, Kingston Health Sciences Centre, Queen's University, 76 Stuart Street, Kingston, ON K7L 2V7, Canada. Electronic address: ., Department of Radiology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA., Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114, USA.