Prostate Ultrasound

What does a patient need to do to prepare for a prostate ultrasound exam?

Prostate biopsies have preps that are determined by the urologist who has scheduled your appointment, and may include antibiotic administration. All prostate ultrasounds, whether or not performed in conjunction with biopsy, require a partially filled bladder to aid in the visualization of the prostate gland.

What will happen during the exam?

Prostate ultrasounds nearly always require the insertion of an endorectal transducer into the rectum. The patient will remain clothed for the exam. He will be placed on the exam table on his left side and then scanned. The sensation of the endorectal transducer should be similar to a digital rectal exam. A biopsy requires samples to be taken by a biopsy device. The area is numbed with a local medicine so the discomfort should be minimal. The average prostate ultrasound takes under 30 minutes. A prostate exam plus biopsy may take 45 to 60 minutes.

Radiologyinfo.org for Patients

The radiology information resource for patients. RadiologyInfo.org tells you how various X-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound, radiation therapy and other procedures are performed. It also addresses what you may experience and how to prepare for the exams. The website contains over 200 procedure, exam and disease descriptions covering diagnostic and interventional radiology, nuclear medicine, radiation therapy and radiation safety and is updated frequently with new information. All material on the RadiologyInfo.org website is reviewed and approved by experts in the field of radiology from the ACR and RSNA, as well as other professional radiology organizations.

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