Benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a familiar usually involves senile males. In recent 50 years, the incidence of BPH in China has been increasing. The morphological histology of hyperplastic prostate showed the volume enlarged and weight increase, and the hyperplastic part was mainly located in transitional zone. Researchers at home and abroad studied the tissue characteristics of hyperplastic prostate by routine and special staining coupled with computer-assisted quantitative image analysis system, and found that the proliferation was mainly occurred in interstitial tissue of prostate. The imaging examination is an important assistant method to diagnose BPH. Especially, Transrectal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging can displayed hyperplastic prostate more clearly.
Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Prostatic Hyperplasia ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Rectum ; diagnostic imaging ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo assess the role of transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) in the etiological diagnosis of male obstructive azoospermia.

METHODSWe retrospectively analyzed the clinical data and TRUS findings of 695 patients with obstructive azoospermia from January 2007 to May 2009.

RESULTSConcerning the etiology of obstructive azoospermia, the main TRUS findings included ejaculatory duct abnormality (29.2%), seminal vesicle abnormality (25.4%) and prostate midline cyst (18.5%). TRUS revealed 203 cases of ejaculatory duct dilation, 177 cases of seminal vesicle abnormality (including 108 with absence or agenesis and 51 with dilation of the seminal vesicle), and 128 cases of prostate midline cyst (including 75 with ejaculatory duct cyst and 39 with Müllerian cyst). Calcification of the verumontanum or ejaculatory duct was suspected to be the causes of obstructive azoospermia in 34 cases. However, no significant etiological abnormality was found in 153 cases. Obvious etiology was shown by TRUS in 78.0% of the patients.

CONCLUSIONTRUS can clearly display the structural abnormality of the ejaculatory duct and seminal vesicle, and provide important information on the etiology of male obstructive azoospermia.

Adult ; Azoospermia ; diagnostic imaging ; etiology ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Rectum ; diagnostic imaging ; Retrospective Studies ; Ultrasonography

A three-dimensional (3D) transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) imaging system is presented in this paper. The 3D imaging system is used for diagnosing diseases of prostate. The 3D image is reconstructed by a series of two-dimensional image data which is obtained through rectum. It can be a guide to prostate needle biopsies. The system is built by two parts: hardware and software. In the hardware, the mechanical device, stepper motor, control circuit, B Mode TRUS and personal computer (PC) workshop are presented. The software includes the firmware of micro control unit and software of the PC workshop. In order to evaluate the performance of the 3D imaging system, we did experiments with water and agar phantoms, and the results demonstrated the system's ability of 3D imaging with high-precision.
Biopsy, Needle ; Humans ; Imaging, Three-Dimensional ; instrumentation ; Male ; Phantoms, Imaging ; Prostate ; diagnostic imaging ; Rectum ; Software ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo investigate the ultrasonographic features of obstructive azoospermia and to evaluate transrectal ultrasonography in the diagnosis of the disease.

METHODSWe performed transrectal ultrasonography for 248 patients with obstructive azoospermia, observed the sonographic features of the prostate gland, seminal vesicle and ejaculatory duct.

RESULTSThe average volume of the prostate gland of the studied group was 13.2 ml. A total of 111 cases showed normal sonographic features, 39 cases bilateral seminal vesicle defect, 33 cases bilateral seminal vesicle aplasia, 23 cases unilateral seminal vesicle defect and contralateral seminal vesicle aplasia, 28 cases bilateral and 14 cases unilateral seminal vesicle dilatation. Of the 42 cases of seminal vesicle dilatation, 18 had ejaculatory duct dilatation and 17 had cysts in the midline of the prostate.

CONCLUSIONObstructive azoospermia varies in kind. Transrectal ultrasonography can reveal the details of the prostate, seminal vesicle and ejaculatory duct and help to classify obstructive azoospermia and determine the location of the lesion.

Adult ; Azoospermia ; diagnostic imaging ; Ejaculatory Ducts ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Posture ; Prostate ; diagnostic imaging ; Rectum ; Seminal Vesicles ; diagnostic imaging ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo assess the application value of transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) in the diagnosis of chronic prostatitis.

METHODSTRUS and examination of prostatic secretion (EPS) were used in the diagnosis of 3 500 cases of chronic prostatitis from September, 2000 to May, 2006.

RESULTSLower resonance of the inner gland, low-level echo, uneven echo light spots, incomplete outlines and unsmooth borderlines were found in 2279 cases (65.1%), and the enlarged prostate in 1 084 cases (31.0%), with clear integrated amicula and enhanced echogenic spots at the juncture of the external and inner gland. No obvious changes were noted in 137 cases (4.0%), and in another 391 cases (11.2%) were detected alteration of the acoustic image of cystospermitis and blurred margins and uneven echoes of the seminal vesicle. The WBC count in EPS was < 10/HP in 132 cases (3.8%), 10-19/HP in 2 156 cases (61.6%) and > or =20/HP in 1212 cases (34.6%).

CONCLUSIONTRUS, as a diagnostic means for chronic prostatitis, can be easily performed and causes little pain and therefore is readily accepted by patients. Combined with EPS, TRUS can provide more definite diagnostic evidence, and for those who are afraid of pain and reject EPS, it is a desirable alternative in the diagnosis of chronic prostatitis.

Adult ; Chronic Disease ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Prostate ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Prostatitis ; diagnosis ; diagnostic imaging ; Rectum ; Sensitivity and Specificity ; Ultrasonography ; methods

Adult ; Aged ; Hemospermia ; diagnostic imaging ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Punctures ; Rectum ; diagnostic imaging ; Seminal Vesicles ; Therapeutic Irrigation ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo investigate the feasibility and safety of ultrasound-guided transrectal microwave ablation in reducing the prostate volume.

METHODSUltrasound-guided transrectal microwave ablation of both sides of the prostate was conducted on experimental dogs with the output volume of 30W for 120 seconds. The dogs were sacrificed on the very day of the ablation, and the prostate and its surrounding tissues were excised for observation of the thermal lesions and pathological examination.

RESULTSA total of 12 thermal lesions were achieved on the two sides of the prostate. The ultrasonogram manifested dense echo and increasing extent in the ablated area, and then an irregular heterogeneous echogenic area and clearly differentiated margin. Pathological examination of the gross specimen showed a little stagnant blood under the rectal mucous, the urethra and bladder not injured, and the thermal lesions elliptical, clearly margined and with the mean size of (0.94 +/- 0.30) cm3.

CONCLUSIONUltrasound-guided transrectal microwave ablation of the prostate can effectively cause coagulative necrosis of the local tissue without inflicting thermal injury upon the surrounding tissues. Conventional grayscale ultrasound can give a real-time'display of the extent of thermal lesion and the whole process of the ablation.

Animals ; Catheter Ablation ; instrumentation ; methods ; Dogs ; Feasibility Studies ; Male ; Microwaves ; Prostate ; diagnostic imaging ; Rectum ; diagnostic imaging ; Ultrasonography

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the accuracy of transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) in the assessment of the invasion depth of rectal cancer, and analyze the value of TRUS in diagnosis of early rectal cancer.

METHODSTRUS was performed preoperatively in 163 patients with rectal cancer, and the results was compared with the postoperative pathological findings according to TNM staging. The early rectal cancer was diagnosed if the lesion was limited to mucosa and submucosa. The tumor located in mucosa was defined as mucosal cancer, while as submucosal cancer when the tumor invading into submucosa. Sixteen cases were confirmed as early cancer by pathology after the operation. No patients received chemotherapy and radiotherapy before operation.

RESULTSThe sensitivity of TRUS in the staging of the early rectal cancer was 87.5% (14/16), specificity was 98.6% (145/147), and the positive predictive value was 87.5% (14/16). The sensitivity of TRUS in predicting mucosal and submucosal cancer was 85.7% (6/7) and 66.7% (6/9), respectively. Sixteen patients with early rectal cancer were examined before and after filling rectum with water. After filling rectum, all tumors were visualized clearly, while 14 tumors were correctly diagnosed as early rectal cancer. Before filling rectum, only 6 tumors were visualized clearly, and 3 tumors were staged correctly. The ultrasonographic appearance of early rectal cancer manifested in two kinds: protruded and ulcerative, and most were protruded (81.6%).

CONCLUSIONSTRUS is a valuable imaging examination for diagnosis of early rectal cancer preoperatively. Visualization rate and diagnostic accuracy of early rectal cancer are improved dramatically after filling rectum with water.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Early Diagnosis ; Endosonography ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Neoplasm Invasiveness ; diagnostic imaging ; Rectal Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; pathology ; Rectum ; diagnostic imaging ; Sensitivity and Specificity

OBJECTIVETo explore the effect of anhydrous alcohol sclerotherapy following transrectal ultrasound-guided puncture in the treatment of Mülllerian duct cyst.

METHODSTotally 44 patients with Müllerian duct cyst underwent transrectal ultrasound-guided puncture and sclerotherapy, 21 injected with anhydrous alcohol of half the volume of the aspirated cystic fluid followed by aspiration of all the fluid 5 minutes later (treatment group) , and the other 23 treated by cystic fluid aspiration only (control group). The clinical effects of the two methods were compared.

RESULTSThe response rate and cure rate were 80.95 and 52.38% in the treatment group, as compared with 56.52 and 26.09% in the control (P < 0.001). No adverse events were observed in either of the two groups.

CONCLUSIONTransrectal ultrasound-guided puncture and anhydrous alcohol sclerotherapy is a safe and effective approach to the treatment of Mülllerian duct cyst.

Cysts ; therapy ; Endosonography ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Mullerian Ducts ; Rectum ; diagnostic imaging ; Sclerotherapy ; Suction ; methods

OBJECTIVETo investigate the role of transrectal real-time tissue elastography (TRTE) in the diagnosis of prostate cancer (PCa).

METHODSEighty-four patients with suspected PCa and scheduled for prostate biopsies underwent TRTE, digital rectal examination (DRE), transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The findings of TRTE were compared with those of other examinations and pathological findings.

RESULTSOf these 84 patients, 36 had benign lesions and 48 had PCa. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, positive predictive value and negative predictive value were 91.7%, 72.2%, 83.3%, 81.5%, and 86.7% for TRTE and 85.4%ì63.9%ì76.2%, 75.9%, and 76.7% for TRUS (P>0.05), while its specificity (72.2%) was significantly higher than that of MRI (44.4%) (P=0.03). The TRTE findings were not significantly correlated with the pathological findings and serum total prostate specific antigen (P>0.05), and the diagnostic sensitivity of TRTE decreased along with the enlargement of prostate. However, the diagnostic specificity of TRTE was higher than MRI for nodules with soft to medium texture (P=0.04).For PCa, the diagnostic sensitivity of TRTE increased when the Gleanson scores of tumors increased (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONTRTE can be used as a diagnostic test to supplement clinical diagnosis of PCa.

Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Elasticity Imaging Techniques ; methods ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Predictive Value of Tests ; Prostatic Neoplasms ; diagnostic imaging ; Rectum ; diagnostic imaging ; Sensitivity and Specificity