Penile MRI can noninvasively show whether the tunica albuginea is intact after penile trauma — a key finding that helps sort patients to surgery vs. nonoperative care. In this review, MRI also emerged as a useful adjunct for penile tumor staging, especially for assessing corporal invasion and providing a preliminary look at pelvic nodal status.

Why It Matters To Your Practice

• Penile trauma can be diagnostically uncertain when exam findings are equivocal or swelling obscures the injury.

• MRI helps clarify whether there is tunica albuginea disruption, which is the main imaging question when deciding on operative management.

• For suspected penile cancer, MRI adds local staging detail beyond physical exam.

Clinical Benefits

• Noninvasive visualization of penile anatomy and pathology.

• Useful for identifying corporal invasion in tumors, which can affect staging and referral urgency.

• Can offer an initial assessment of pelvic nodal status while evaluating the primary lesion.

• May improve confidence in management decisions when the diagnosis is unclear.

Managing Risks

• MRI is an adjunct, not a replacement for bedside assessment, urology consultation, and clinical judgment.

• Availability, scan timing, and patient tolerance may limit use in urgent trauma settings.

• This review describes indications and interpretation, but does not provide pooled accuracy numbers for trauma or cancer staging.

The Bottom Line

• When penile trauma is not straightforward, MRI can help answer the practical question: is the tunica albuginea torn, and does this patient need surgery?

• In penile tumors, MRI is most helpful for local staging, particularly corporal invasion, and can support specialist treatment planning.