Transrectal Ultrasonography and Elastography in Carcinoma Prostate

Abstract

ABSTRACT There are more than 100 million people in the Indian geriatric population that suffer from various comorbidities and of them only 10% are treated at hospital annually. Prostate cancer is one major cause of such comorbidity among the male population. Currently, transrectal ultrasound examination transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) is most commonly employed for imaging the pathologies of the prostate gland. Ultrasound visualized cancers usually appear less echogenic relative to adjacent normal gland. Elastography is a technique of radiology, in which the different stiffness in various tissues, produced by its compression and relaxation can be imaged. The information derived by ultrasound elastography helps to improve the detection of prostate cancer and acts like a guide during biopsy. An accurate scan with both modalities helps the surgeon to go for conservative management in some cases and select the correct surgical technique in others. Ultrasound is widely available and is much cheaper and cost-effective than magnetic resonance imaging/computed tomography; hence, high diagnostic accuracy of this modality should be established.