Cryptorchidism

What it means

Before birth, the testicles normally form high in the abdomen and gradually move down through the groin into the scrotum, usually completing the journey by the time of delivery or within the first few months of life. Cryptorchidism, meaning "hidden testicle," describes a testicle that stopped somewhere along that path instead of completing the descent — it may be found in the lower abdomen, the groin canal, or just above the scrotum. It can affect one testicle or both, and the undescended testicle is often smaller or less developed than a normally positioned one.

Why it appears on a CT or MRI report

Cryptorchidism is usually noticed first on a physical exam in infancy, since an empty side of the scrotum is easy to feel. Imaging, including CT or MRI of the pelvis and abdomen, is sometimes used afterward, especially when the testicle cannot be felt at all, to help locate it before surgery, or it may be spotted incidentally on a scan done for an unrelated reason in an older child or adult who never had the condition corrected. The report will typically describe the position of the undescended testicle and its size, which helps guide any recommended treatment.

What it usually means

Cryptorchidism is one of the most common congenital conditions in male infants, and in many babies the testicle finishes descending on its own within the first several months of life without any treatment needed. When it does not descend on its own, surgical correction is a routine and highly successful procedure. Leaving a testicle undescended long-term is associated with a modestly increased risk of reduced fertility and, in a small number of cases, testicular cancer later in life, which is why timely correction and ongoing self-examination afterward are generally recommended rather than simply leaving things as they are.

When to follow up

In infants, a pediatrician or pediatric urologist typically monitors an undescended testicle for the first several months and recommends surgery, called an orchiopexy, if it has not descended by around 6 to 12 months of age. In an older child or adult in whom cryptorchidism is found incidentally and was never corrected, a urology referral is worthwhile to discuss whether surgical repositioning, removal, or simply closer monitoring with periodic self-exams and imaging is the right approach. Any new lump, pain, or change in an undescended testicle should prompt a prompt medical evaluation.

A plain-language way to picture it

Think of the testicle's normal development as a delivery truck making its way from a warehouse down to its final storage location. In cryptorchidism, the truck stalls partway along the route and never quite reaches its destination. Surgery, when needed, is essentially a tow truck that finishes the job, moving the delivery the rest of the way so everything ends up where it's supposed to be and can be easily checked on going forward.