The contribution of transrectal ultrasonography in the early diagnosis of prostate cancer.

Two hundred twenty asymptomatic males, aged 55 to 75 years old, underwent transrectal ultrasonography of the prostate as part of a screening examination. Fifteen prostate adenocarcinomas were detected, 5 of which were nonpalpable. The biopsies were performed under sagittal ultrasound guidance. Serum prostatic specific antigen and prostatic acid phosphatase levels were also obtained from each patient. Nine of the patients were staged as B2, one patient as D2, 4 patients as A1 and one as A2. The use of transrectal ultrasonography as a screening tool must be further evaluated in a multicenter trial with a large number of patients.