Prostate cancer slow-growing malignant growth that begins in the prostate gland, which is a major part of the male reproductive system, and prostate cancers start in the glandular tissue of the prostate and are called adenocarcinomas.

If you or someone you know is suffering from prostate cancer, then surely you have already heard of the prostate ultrasound before. Prostate ultrasound imaging is a type of ultrasound scanning or sonography that involves exposing part of the body to high-frequency sound waves in order to produce pictures of the inside of the body.

The Equipment

There are actually a few different pieces of equipment that are used for the prostate ultrasound, one of the most major being the actual ultrasound scanner, which consists of a console containing a computer and electronics, as well as a video display screen and a transducer.

The transducer is one of the most important parts of all, as it is the small handheld device that resembles a microphone, and which works by sending out a high frequency sound wave and then listening for a returning wave to get results.

How it Works

Because ultrasound images are captured in real-time, they are able to show the specific structure and movement of the body’s internal organs. The prostate ultrasound test is completely painless and is able to help physicians properly diagnose and treat prostate cancer.

An enema is taken two to four hours before the ultrasound, in order to clean out the patient’s bowel, and you will most likely be asked to drink a certain amount of fluids beforehand because a full bladder helps greatly with the visualization of the prostate gland.

How it is Performed

The prostate gland is located directly in front of the rectum and so the prostate ultrasound test is performed transrectally, meaning that the transducer is lubricated and then placed into the rectum. The images are typically obtained from a variety of angles, in order to get the best view of the prostate gland and thus the best and most accurate results.

Once the examination is complete, the patient is generally asked to get dressed and wait until the images have been reviewed. The entire ultrasound examination usually takes no longer than 20-25 minutes.

You will not have to take this test unless your doctor has recommended that you do so, and especially if you are over 40 you want to make sure that you speak with your doctor about this issue. After all, prostate cancer is the most commonly occurring cancer in men worldwide, and thus this is a very serious issue.