Timely and accurate diagnosis of erectile dysfunction (ED) is crucial for effective treatment and early detection of health risks. There is a need for a non-invasive sensor for erection detection. This study aims to investigate the feasibility of penile erection detection through measurements of light reflection of hemoglobin (LRH) of the penis. A penile LRH sensor was developed to measure changes in hemoglobin levels of the flaccid and erected penis as a precursor to the development of a SpO2-sensor. Outcomes from penile duplex and LRH measurements in ED patients were compared in the flaccid state as well as during an erection caused by intrave-nous injection of alprostadil. Results of ten patients getting a full erection are con-sidered. The results show a difference in LRH values during erections measured on the penis compared to a flaccid penis. This is the first human pilot study to demon-strate a higher LRH during the onset of an artificially induced erection in patients with ED, this tendency should be analyzed in larger studies. This is a promising ad-vancement towards the further development of a much-needed non-invasive sensor that has the potential to revolutionize the diagnosis and management of ED.

The authors have declared no competing interest.

NCT06402097

This research received no external funding.

I confirm all relevant ethical guidelines have been followed, and any necessary IRB and/or ethics committee approvals have been obtained.

Yes

The details of the IRB/oversight body that provided approval or exemption for the research described are given below:

the ethical committee of the Medical Research Ethics Committees United Nieuwe-gein, the Netherlands and the boards of all participating centers and it conforms to the provisions of the Declaration of Helsinki. (Registration numbers: NL70945.100.19, R19.074 approved on 17-2-2020).

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All data produced in the present study are available upon reasonable request to the authors