Inguinal hernia is diagnosed on the basis of history and physical examination.
Optional medical device diagnostics – depending on the results of the history, physical examination, laboratory diagnostics, and obligatory medical device diagnostics – for differential diagnosis.
- Abdominal sonography (ultrasound examination of the abdominal organs) or sonography of the inguinal region – for visualization of the involved structures; in the asymptomatic patients, hernia inguinalis is divided into on the basis of morphology:
- Type A (“bump shape”) → no surgical indication present (since no risk of incarceration (bowel impaction)).
- Type B (“tube shape”) → no surgical indication present (since no risk of incarceration).
- Type C (“hourglass shape”) → risk of incarceration, thus presence of an indication for surgery [regardless of the symptomatology!]
- Ultrasound diagnosis of inguinal hernia proved to be quite useful, with a sensitivity of 96.6%, a specificity of 84.8%, and a positive predictive value of 92.6%.
- Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen (abdominal CT) – in unclear ultrasound findings or complicated courses.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the abdomen (abdominal MRI) – in unclear ultrasound findings or complicated courses.
- Diaphanoscopy (fluoroscopy of body parts through an attached light source; here: Scrotum (scrotum)) – to distinguish scrotal hernia (testicular burch) and accompanying hydrocele (water hernia, ie, accumulation of serous fluid in the testicular sheaths).
