Prostate ultrasound is a very useful tool for diagnosing prostate cancer. The prostate gland is part of the male reproductive system. Prostate cancer is usually a slowly spreading malignant growth which affects this gland. It starts in the tissue of the prostate called adenocarcinomas.
For this test your doctor uses high frequency sound waves to capture internal images of the body. These detailed pictures clearly show the prostate gland and help the doctor in diagnosing how far the cancer has spread. It is a painless test and is usually over and done within a short time.
Prostate Ultrasound Equipment
The doctor uses various instruments during this test. The ultrasound scanner looks like a laptop, with a screen and a transducer.
The transducer is a small device that looks like a microphone. It sends out high-frequency sound waves and also listens for returning sound waves in order to get the results. This device is the main component for carrying out an ultrasound test.
How It Works
As mentioned before, doctors use a prostate ultrasound as a painless test for clearly diagnosing prostate cancer. The ultrasound exam produces images that show the movement and shape of the body’s major organs.
It is important for the bowels to be clean before taking this ultrasound test. So an enema is taken 3 to 4 hours before the test. The patient will also drink a lot of fluids, as having a full bladder is helpful during the ultrasound.
How the Prostate Ultrasound Test Is Performed
The test is done by inserting the transducer instrument into the back passage (rectum). The doctor will take images from a wide variety of angles to get a thorough and accurate diagnosis of the prostate gland.
The entire prostate ultrasound test takes less than half an hour. The patient will feel little to no pain during in the whole test. After the examination the doctor reviews the images, while the patient puts his clothes back on.
Prostate Cancer
Prostate cancer is one of the most common forms of cancer worldwide for men. So it is important to diagnose this early and start treatment as soon as possible. If you are over 40, then do not wait if you feel symptoms like prostate pain. Even at the slightest suspicion that you are feeling any discomfort that may indicate a prostate problem, speak to your doctor urgently about this issue.