A prostate ultrasound, also called transrectal ultrasound, or TRUS, provides images of the prostate and surrounding tissue on a viewing screen by using sound frequency, in a higher range than people can hear. This painless test is usually ordered to evaluate the size, shape and location of the prostate gland, a normally walnut-sized male gland near the rectum and nearby anatomy. The TRUS can help your physician evaluate and diagnose such conditions as prostate cancer or prostatitis, an inflammation of the prostate gland, or help to find the cause of infertility.
On the day of the test, you may be asked to self-administer a small enema several hours before the ultrasound. The enema helps clear any fecal matter in your intestines that may interfere with viewing the prostate gland clearly. Also, you may be asked to drink several glasses of water before the procedure, as a full bladder often aids the technician in viewing the prostate gland.
Immediately before the procedure, you will be asked to change into a hospital gown before you are escorted into the ultrasound room. In that room, you will see a cart or bed on which you will rest during the procedure.
During the test, a probe about the size of a finger is inserted a short distance into your rectum. Although this may be a bit uncomfortable, it should not be painful. The technician will ask you to lie still as he obtains views using the ultrasound equipment. Your examination should be complete within 20 minutes.
Following the examination, you will be asked to wait briefly while a radiologist, a doctor that specializes in reading these exams, reviews the results of your test. The radiologist may discuss results with you that day, but typically a report is prepared for your doctor and you should hear about the findings within one week.
A prostate ultrasound is helpful tool to diagnose medical conditions such as cancer and inflammation of the prostate gland. While it may be mildly uncomfortable, it is a safe, noninvasive procedure that will quickly assess the health of your prostate gland.
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