Transrectal prostatic ultrasound: lesions diagnosed.

From January 1, 1988 to June 30 1989, 486 cases of transrectal prostatic ultrasound were done at San Pablo Hospital. These patients had been referred by the urologist and attending physician due to abnormal digital prostatic examination such as a palpable nodule, an enlarged prostate or prostatic induration. The lesions that have been diagnosed by transrectal prostatic ultrasound include cancer, prostatitis, benign prostatic hypertrophy, cyst, abscess, hematomas and calcifications. From the total of 486 cases studied, 72 patients showed low density lesions in the peripheral zone. Thirty-seven of these 72 cases proved to be malignant for an average of 51.4%. Transrectal prostatic sonography can be easily performed in 10 to 15 minutes. The prostate lesions mentioned above can easily be diagnosed using a short focus 7 MHz transrectal transducer. Prostatitis and early carcinoma present a similar appearance on ultrasound that can be differentiated by transrectal needle biopsy of the prostate which can be sonographically guided with ease using the same equipment on an outpatient setting.