How accurate is the index finger? A comparison of digital and ultrasound examination of the prostatic nodule.

The per-rectal ultrasound scans and digital assessments of 193 patients with prostatic nodules were analysed retrospectively. There were 88 histologically proven cancers and per-rectal ultrasound demonstrated extracapsular spread of tumour in 36 of these patients. In the diagnosis of prostatic cancer, ultrasound had a sensitivity of 97.6% and a specificity of 93.8% whereas digital examination had a sensitivity of 96.5% and a specificity of 53.3%.