G.J. Griffiths

Side effects and patient acceptability of transrectal biopsy of the prostate

The side effects and patient acceptability of 230 ultrasound guided prostatic needle biopsies performed by the transrectal route in an out-patient setting were reviewed retrospectively. Most of the side effects were transient and mild; one patient required hospitalization for urinary retention. Patient acceptability was good; over 70% of patients reported no significant pain from the biopsy procedure.

The ultrasound appearances of prostatic cancer with histological correlation.

An analysis of the ultrasound appearances of the prostate with its capsule and periprostatic structures was performed in 221 patients with a histologically confirmed diagnosis of prostatic cancer. The cancers were histologically graded into well, moderate and poorly differentiated adenocarcinoma and transitional cell carcinoma. The results of this study indicate that an ill-defined hypoechoic area is the commonest appearance of prostatic cancer; this was seen in 96% of our 221 patients. The cancers were staged by ultrasound into confined (T0, T1, T2) and unconfined (T3) cancers. A breach of the capsule was seen in 55% of cases. In this unconfined group all cancers were hypoechoic in comparison with 92% in the confined group. In the confined cancer group the areas of abnormal echogenicity were present in more than one prostatic quadrant in 76%. Mostly commonly two prostatic quadrants were affected. The abnormal echogenicity was noted in the posterior quadrants of the prostate more commonly (58%) than in the anterior quadrants. The prostate gland appeared round in 67%, semicircular in 25% and crescentic in 8%. The gland was symmetrical in 68%. The prostatic capsule appeared regular in 86% of patients with a confined cancer. In 70% of cases of extensive but confined cancer there was loss of demarcation between the central and peripheral zones of the gland. The unconfined cancer group all had a breach of the capsule and all glands were heterogeneous due to hypoechoic areas. The breach affected more than one quadrant in 81% and most commonly the capsular breach involved two prostatic quadrants. An anterior breach of the capsule was noted much more frequently than a posterior breach. Forty-four per cent of cases had three or four quadrants of the gland involved. In 3% of cases of proven prostatic cancer no definite ultrasound abnormality could be detected. Calcification was seen within the gland in association with the cancer in 63% with approximately equal frequency in confined and unconfined disease. The seminal vesicles showed definite evidence of infiltration in 10%. Both seminal vesicles were seen in 61% and thought to be normal. In 8% only one was seen. Failure to demonstrate either seminal vesicle occurred in 21%. There was no correlation between the ultrasound appearances of prostatic cancer and the histological grading of the tumour.

Per rectal ultrasound in the investigation of prostatic disease.

Primary prostatic disease is usually assessed by digital palpation of the prostate. This method lacks objectivity and has been shown to be inaccurate, especially in the staging of primary prostatic cancer. This paper describes the investigation of 200 subjects using per rectal ultrasound. Of 70 patients with histological evidence of carcinoma of the prostate, 96% were correctly diagnosed ultrasonically and 87% correctly diagnosed by digital palpation. Of the 37 patients with ultrasonic evidence of a capsular breach, only 65% were diagnosed as such by digital palpation. A study of 10 cadaver specimens confirmed the accuracy of per rectal ultrasound as a technique for staging primary prostatic cancer . The ultrasonic appearances of the prostate, seminal vesicles and bladder base are described. Per rectal ultrasound is acceptable to patients, and its use is recommended in all cases where accurate assessment of primary prostatic cancer is required.

Ultrasonic appearances associated with prostatic inflammation: A preliminary study

Per-rectal ultrasonography was performed on 40 patients in whom a diagnosis of prostatitis had been made on the basis of symptoms and signs of prostatic inflammation confirmed by bacteriology, microscopy or pH changes of expressed prostatic secretion. Certain ultrasonic features were present in all patients to a variable degree. A change in volume and weight of the prostate could be an indicator of treatment response.

Transrectal ultrasound in the investigation of haemospermia

The transrectal ultrasound findings in 52 patients with haemospermia were reviewed. Scan abnormalities were demonstrated in 43 patients (83%). These included benign prostatic hyperplasia (24 patients), seminal vesicle abnormalities (10 patients), prostatic calcification (32 patients) and two patients with prostatitis. No patient was proven to have prostatic malignancy. Transrectal ultrasonography can suggest a cause of haemospermia in the majority of patients without resort to invasive investigations, and can exclude underlying prostatic malignancy. It is recommended as the first radiological investigation in patients presenting with haemospermia.

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%.

Transrectal ultrasound appearances of granulomatous prostatitis

Granulomatous prostatitis is an unusual, but well-recognized entity frequently mistaken for carcinoma on both digital rectal examination and transrectal ultrasound. The ultrasonographic findings of 11 patients with histologically-proven granulomatous prostatitis are reviewed.

Case report: The vanishing ring sign—An unusual CT manifestation of multiple sclerosis

Ring-like computed tomographic (CT) enhancement of a solitary cerebral mass usually indicates neoplasm or abscess. A 64-year-old man with this sign was found to have multiple sclerosis (MS), and following oral steroid treatment, it disappeared.