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What Does Prostate Look Like

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Nonbacteria microbes may cause a different type of chronic prostatitis, known as chronic pelvic pain syndrome, which may also develop as a result of chemicals in the urine, a urinary tract infection, or pelvic nerve damage.

Affecting 10 to 15 percent of the U.S. male population, chronic pelvic pain syndrome is the most common type of prostatitis, but also the least understood.

Symptoms vary depending on the type of prostatitis, but can include urination problems, pain , fever, and body aches, among other things.

Some people develop asymptomatic inflammatory prostatitis, in which the prostate is inflamed but doesn’t produce any symptoms or require treatment.

Bacterial prostatitis is most often treated with antibiotics. Chronic pelvic pain syndrome may require drugs, surgery, and lifestyle changes.

Over time, prostatitis may cause sexual dysfunction, abscesses in the prostate, inflammation of nearby reproductive organs, and infection of the bloodstream.

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What Is A Prostate Ultrasound Used For

A prostate ultrasound is used to check your prostate gland using ultrasound imagery. The procedure provides your doctor with black-and-white images of your prostate and the surrounding tissues. Your doctor usually wont do this as part of a physical examination, but they may recommend it if:

A prostate ultrasound can also be used to help your doctor take a tissue sample, or biopsy, from your prostate.

How Prostate Cancer Is Diagnosed

The conclusive way to diagnose if a man has cancer of the prostate is by an MRI scan and a biopsy.

A biopsy is a method of taking a very small piece of tissue from the prostate in order to test for signs of cancer.

The MRI scan is not invasive, it involves having a series of pictures of the prostate gland using the MRI scanner.

The biopsy, on the other hand, involves an operation where your doctor collects tissue from the prostate through the skin for testing.

It is important to discuss all these methods in detail with your urologist .

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Prostatitis: A Common Prostate Problem In Younger Men

Prostatitis, or prostate inflammation, is the most common prostatic and urinary tract problem for men under age 50, according to the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases . It accounts for 2 million doctor visits in the United States each year.

There are several types of prostatitis.

Prostatitis caused by bacteria is known as bacterial prostatitis, and it can cause an acute or chronic infection.

Imaging Tests For Prostate Cancer

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Imaging tests use x-rays, magnetic fields, sound waves, or radioactive substances to create pictures of the inside of your body. One or more imaging tests might be used:

  • To look for cancer in the prostate
  • To help the doctor see the prostate during certain procedures
  • To look for spread of prostate cancer to other parts of the body

Which tests you might need will depend on the situation. For example, a prostate biopsy is typically done with transrectal ultrasound and/or MRI to help guide the biopsy. If you are found to have prostate cancer, you might need imaging tests of other parts of your body to look for possible cancer spread.

The imaging tests used most often to look for prostate cancer spread include:

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Screening For Cancer Of The Prostate

There are 2 screening procedures for the prostate:

A blood test for PSA, prostate-specific antigen, a protein produced by the prostate gland can indicate the presence of cancer early on in the process.

Although it can be high in other conditions, it is very useful when used with the second screening method, Digital Rectal Examination .

In a DRE, the doctor will perform a manual examination of the rectum to feel if the prostate has become bigger or harder some of the signs of prostate cancer.

How Can I Feel My Prostate

You cant touch your prostate, but you can feel it from the outside of your body or through your rectum .

The easiest way to feel your prostate is from the back half of your perineum, near your rectum. The area mainly contains nerves and veins, not tissue. Your prostate should feel soft or rubbery.

When you touch your prostate externally or internally, you may feel a sudden urge to pee.

Many people find prostate stimulation sexually satisfying. However, you cant accurately check your prostate health through a self-examination. If you have any concerns about your prostate health, talk to a healthcare professional. They can answer any of your questions and accurately assess your prostate health.

A note from Cleveland Clinic

Last reviewed by a Cleveland Clinic medical professional on 08/09/2022.

References

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What Does This Exam Feel Like

A digital rectal exam is uncomfortable. You may feel the urge to have a bowel movement in the process of the examination, but not to worry!

This is considered a normal sensation, and you wont actually have one. Similarly, you may feel the urge to urinate during palpation of the prostate gland. But chances are you dont actually need to urinate.

What Are Some Common Uses Of The Procedure

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A transrectal ultrasound of the prostate gland is performed to:

  • detect disorders within the prostate.
  • determine whether the prostate is enlarged, also known as benign prostatic hyperplasia , with measurements acquired as needed for any treatment planning.
  • detect an abnormal growth within the prostate.
  • help diagnose the cause of a man’s infertility.

A transrectal ultrasound of the prostate gland is typically used to help diagnose symptoms such as:

  • a nodule felt by a physician during a routine physical exam or prostate cancer screening exam.
  • an elevated blood test result.
  • difficulty urinating.

Because ultrasound provides real-time images, it also can be used to guide procedures such as needle biopsies, in which a needle is used to sample cells from an abnormal area in the prostate gland for later laboratory testing.

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Prostate Cancer: Risk Factors Symptoms And Treatment

Aside from prostatitis and BPH, another common prostate issue is prostate cancer.

Excluding skin cancer, prostate cancer is the most common type of cancer among American men, according to the American Cancer Society. About 1 in 9 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer during his lifetime.

The risk of developing prostate cancer is higher for men who are over age 65, are African-American, or have a family history of the disease.

Most often, prostate cancer develops slowly, but some men develop an aggressive form of the disease.

Early prostate cancer generally doesn’t cause any symptoms. Symptoms generally develop as the disease progresses and include:

  • Urination issues
  • Numbness of the legs and feet
  • Loss of bladder or bowel control

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What Exams Tests And Procedures Diagnose Bph

A physical exam is required to see if other medical problems may be causing your BPH symptoms. The healthcare provider will order a digital rectal exam to examine the prostate gland. The healthcare provider may feel the prostate by inserting a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum. The rectal exam allows your doctor to roughly estimate the size and consistency of the prostate. Most importantly, it allows the doctor to feel for lumps or hard areas that could indicate the presence of prostate cancer. Your doctor may check your urine for blood or signs of infection. Your blood may be tested for kidney problems , for PSA levels , a screening test for enlarged prostate, prostate cancer, prostatitis, and urinary tract infections

Some men are referred to a specialist for further tests. Urologists specialize in diseases of the male and female urinary tracts and of the male genital tract. Before you are treated for BPH. It is important for the doctor to rule out other possible causes of an enlarged prostate, such as prostate cancer, which is benign or non-cancerous.

What Are The Limitations Of Prostate Ultrasound Imaging

Prostate Cancer

Men who have had the end of their bowel removed during prior surgery are not good candidates for ultrasound of the prostate gland because this type of ultrasound typically requires placing a probe into the rectum.

However, the radiologist may attempt to examine the prostate gland by placing a regular ultrasound imaging probe on the perineal skin of the patient .

Sometimes the gland can be examined by ultrasound this way, but the images may not be as detailed as with the transrectal probe. An MRI of the prostate gland is another alternative imaging option and may be done instead of or in-addition to an ultrasound.

Prostate MRI can sometimes be done without requiring anything to be placed into the rectum. It may be a good option for men who have had their rectum removed.

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How Does The Procedure Work

Ultrasound imaging uses the same principles as the sonar that bats, ships, and fishermen use. When a sound wave strikes an object, it bounces back or echoes. By measuring these echo waves, it is possible to determine how far away the object is as well as its size, shape, and consistency. This includes whether the object is solid or filled with fluid.

Doctors use ultrasound to detect changes in the appearance of organs, tissues, and vessels and to detect abnormal masses, such as tumors.

In an ultrasound exam, a transducer both sends the sound waves and records the echoing waves. When the transducer is pressed against the skin, it sends small pulses of inaudible, high-frequency sound waves into the body. As the sound waves bounce off internal organs, fluids and tissues, the sensitive receiver in the transducer records tiny changes in the sound’s pitch and direction. A computer instantly measures these signature waves and displays them as real-time pictures on a monitor. The technologist typically captures one or more frames of the moving pictures as still images. They may also save short video loops of the images.

The same principles apply to ultrasound procedures such as transrectal ultrasound which require insertion of a special imaging probe or transducer into the body.

Keeping Your Prostate Healthy

Living a healthy lifestyle is the best way to keep your body well and protect against cancer.

Maintaining a healthy body weight, not smoking, exercising regularly, and having a healthy diet can all play important roles in preventing disease, including prostate cancer.

  • A review of research suggests that eating red foods such as tomatoes and watermelon may reduce progression and growth of prostate cancer cells. Red foods contain a powerful antioxidant called lycopene.
  • Eating fruit, especially citrus fruit such as oranges, lemons, grapefruit, limes and mandarins may also slightly lower your risk of prostate cancer, according to some studies.
  • Coffee and green tea may also lower cancer risk, but more studies need to be done to confirm this.
  • A review of research done in 2014 indicated there may be a link between saturated fats and animal fats and prostate cancer risk, so it may pay to reduce intake of these types of fats.

For some ideas about looking after your health at all ages, read through the Queensland Governments guide to good health for men: Mens health through the decades.

And one last thing you may have heard that too frequent masturbation can cause prostate cancer. Its been studied, and so far there have been no links found between masturbating or having sex too often and prostate cancer. If anything, the effect may be the opposite, but more research is needed to know how and why.

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What Are The Symptoms Of Prostate Problems

The symptoms of a prostate problem may include problems with urinating and bladder control. Bladder control is how well you can delay, start, or stop urination. These problems can cause you to

  • go to the bathroom frequently
  • feel as if you need to rush to the bathroom, only to find you cant urinate or you urinate only a little
  • leak or dribble urine
  • have a weak urine stream

Depending on the cause of your prostate problems, you may have other symptoms.

When Can I Expect The Results Of My Prostate Mri

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The time that it takes your doctor to receive a written report on the test or procedure you have had will vary, depending on:

  • the urgency with which the result is needed
  • whether more information is needed from your doctor before the examination can be interpreted by the radiologist
  • whether you have had previous X-rays or other medical imaging that need to be compared with this new test or procedure
  • how the report is conveyed from the practice or hospital to your doctor .

Please feel free to ask the private practice, clinic or hospital where you are having your test or procedure when your doctor is likely to have the written report.

It is important that you discuss the results with the doctor who referred you, either in person or on the telephone, so that they can explain what the results mean for you.

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What You Need To Know About The Prostate What Does A Prostate Look Like

A enlarged prostate can also cause blockages in the urethra. A blocked urethra can also damage the kidneys. A patient suffering from an enlargement of the prostate may have pain in his lower abdomen and genitals. If pain is present, a digital rectal examination will reveal hard areas. A doctor may prescribe surgery or perform an endoscopic procedure. If the enlarged prostate is not completely removed, it will shrink.

While the size of an enlarged prostate will influence the extent of urinary symptoms, men may experience a range of urinary symptoms. Some men have minimal or no symptoms at all. Some men will have a very enlarged prostate, whereas others will have a mild enlargement. Generally, the symptoms can stabilize over time. Some men may have an enlarged prostate but not notice it. If they have an enlarged colon, their physician can perform a TURP procedure.

What Does The Equipment Look Like

Ultrasound machines consist of a computer console, video monitor and an attached transducer. The transducer is a small hand-held device that resembles a microphone. Some exams may use different transducers during a single exam. The transducer sends out inaudible, high-frequency sound waves into the body and listens for the returning echoes. The same principles apply to sonar used by boats and submarines.

The technologist applies a small amount of gel to the area under examination and places the transducer there. The gel allows sound waves to travel back and forth between the transducer and the area under examination. The ultrasound image is immediately visible on a video monitor. The computer creates the image based on the loudness , pitch , and time it takes for the ultrasound signal to return to the transducer. It also considers what type of body structure and/or tissue the sound is traveling through.

For ultrasound procedures such as transrectal exams that require insertion of an imaging probe, also called a transducer, the device is covered and lubricated with a gel.

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What Body Areas Are Seen During An Mri Of The Abdomen And Pelvis

Body organs that can be seen during an MRI of the abdomen and pelvis include:

  • Stomach, intestines , liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and spleen. These organs help break down the food you eat and get rid of waste through bowel movements.
  • Kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra . These organs make urine and allow you to urinate.

Where Is The Prostate And What Does It Look Like

Photoacoustic prostate cancer diagnosis  Optical Imaging Laboratory

The word “prostate” comes from the Greek word “prostates,” which means “one who stands before,” aptly describing the position of the gland. That is, when viewed from below, the prostate “stands before” the bladder.

Because the rectum is behind the prostate, it is possible to feel the prostate with a finger when inserted through the rectum. The prostate feels elastic because it’s surrounded by a supportive tissue called the stroma, which is made of flexible smooth muscle fibers and connective tissue .

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