Penile pressures and waveforms are used to assess what?

• A. Assess an individual's failure to attain or maintain an erection
• B. Assess venous insufficiency in leg
• C. Measure arterial blood pressure
• D. Evaluate venous return after exercise

Answer: (A)

The main idea is: these penile measurements are used to evaluate erectile function by looking at how well the penile vasculature can fill and trap blood during an erection. Measuring intracavernosal pressure during an induced erection shows whether arterial inflow is adequate and whether the venous system can occlude to maintain erection. The waveform patterns reflect how well blood enters and is retained in the cylinders. This helps distinguish vascular causes of erectile dysfunction—such as insufficient arterial inflow or venous leakage—from other factors, guiding management. They aren’t used to assess leg venous insufficiency, general arterial blood pressure, or venous return after exercise.