Ultrasound can localise malignancies in prostate cancer

Scientists have discovered that using transrectal, contrast-enhanced, power Doppler ultrasound can localise the presence of malignancy in patients with known prostate cancer in the left or right region of the prostate. However, the same cannot be done for the ventral and dorsal regions of the organ.

T. E. Goossen and colleagues from the department of urology, University Medical Centre Nijmegen, the Netherlands, conducted ultrasound prior to surgery in 29 patients with confirmed prostate malignancy who were scheduled for prostatectomy.Each patient received a bolus injection of contrast agent administered intravenously prior to the ultrasound examination. The researchers used the transrectal, contrast-enhanced, power Doppler ultrasound to monitor the distribution of the contrast-enhanced blood to the prostate. They evaluated blood flow as a function of time to key regions in the prostate. The left-right and dorsal-ventral evaluation protocol was used for two areas of the prostate. For four other areas, they used a quadrant protocol. The results were compared with histopathological findings in order to determine which best predicted malignancy.Using the left-right protocol, the minimal time to peak blood flow was the most predictive parameter for identifying the major malignant area in the prostate. Using this method, 78% of patients were diagnosed correctly. In contrast, the dorsal-ventral protocol was not useful for detecting major malignant areas.Based on these findings, the authors concluded that malignancies in the prostate can be accurately localised using transrectal, contrast-enhanced, power Doppler ultrasound in either the left or right side of the prostate, based on time to the maximum of enhancement. However, it is not possible to localise the malignancy to either the dorsal or ventral portion of the prostate, because of anatomical differences between the dorsal and ventral portions of this organ.(Source: Doctors Guide)