Value of transrectal ultrasonography in prostatic diseases

ABSTRACT

Transrectal ultrasonography is a new addition in the armamentarium of urologists. We at Jinnah Hospital/Lahore General Hospital, are using this technique for the imaging of the prostate for the five years. In this paper we have described our experience regarding its value in the detection of prostatic diseases and precision of the transperineal biopsy under its guidance. Two hundred and seventy two transerctal prostatic ultrasonograms were received and the findings compared with the final pathological or clinical diagnosis. A high degree of accuracy was achieved in diagnosing benign prostatic hyperplasia. Transrectal ultrasonography proved invaluable in staging proven prostatic carcinomas but it was disappointing as a primary diagnostic tool for cancer with a high false positive and negative rates of 11.98% and 33.72% respectively. These finding are discussed in the light of other workers' results: