Feeling Hot 2: Penile Skin Temperature Measurements of Nocturnal Erections

Differentiation in nature of erectile dysfunction (ED) is currently made by nocturnal erection detection with the RigiScan. The RigiScan uses outdated software, measurements are user unfriendly and system components are out of stock. In the search of modernizing erectile dysfunction diagnostics, the question has arisen whether temperature measurements can function as a tool for nocturnal erection detection. With the absence of a pressure component, the patient experience should improve. Literature and mathematical modelling studies have shown that the penile temperature increases significantly during erection. However, no studies have used penile skin temperature measurements to detect nocturnal erections. The Feeling Hot 2 study explores the validity of this measurement set-up for overnight ambulatory measurements of nocturnal erections in the search of modernizing erectile dysfunction diagnostics.

Inclusion criteria

• Healthy volunteer without (a history of) erectile dysfunction
• Male
• Aged 18 - 29 years

Exclusion criteria

• Test subjects who are unwilling to sign informed consent
• Test subjects with erectile dysfunction
• IIEF-5 score of below 17
• (History of) sickle cell aneamia, atherosclerosis and diabetes type I or II.
• (History of) REM-sleep behavior disorder or other sleep disorders such as restless legs syndrome, insomnia, and sleep apnea
• Usage of sleeping pills or benzodiazepines.