A comparison between digital examination and per-rectal ultrasound in the evaluation of the prostate.

Three hundred and fifty-two patients have been examined by per-rectal ultrasound and histological confirmation of the diagnosis was obtained in 242 cases. Per-rectal ultrasound compared favourably with digital palpation both as a method of diagnosing prostatic cancer and also as a method of staging a primary tumour. Confirmation of the accuracy of this technique as a method of staging was gained by a study involving the use of cadaver material. Repeat examinations on patients with prostatic carcinoma have shown that per-rectal ultrasound is an ideal method for monitoring response of the primary tumor to treatment.