Medical professionals use transrectal
ultrasound to view a man’s
prostate. The transrectal ultasound of the prostate (TRUSP) allows doctors to identify
cancers within the
prostate, which would have been impossible to diagnose by a standard (
digital)
rectal exam.
The procedure involves
inserting an instrument into the rectum. That instrument emits
sound waves, which bounce off the prostate and are collected by a computer that creates a picture of the prostate, called a
sonogram. It is useful for visualizing
pathology within the prostate,
rectum, and surrounding tissues and for needle guidance during
prostatic biopsy.