Testicular mass

What it means

An abnormal bulge or lump in a testis. A testicular mass has a long differential diagnosis including testicular torsion, epididymitis, acute orchitis, strangulated hernia and testicular cancer.

The word mass is often used interchangeably with tumor, which derives from the Latin word tumor that originally meant any form of swelling. A small mass may be asymptomatic. Larger masses may cause pain if they press on a nerve or organ, or may lead to other manifestations depending on their location. In general, the finding of a mass will lead to a workup to determine the nature of the mass. More precise HPO terms should be used if possible. This term should be used only if the etiology has not yet been clarified.

Rare diseases that can present with this2

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category