Elastography of the prostate: information & elastography specialists

Elastography is an imaging examination procedure in prostate diagnostics. It is used as an additional method to rule out prostate carcinoma (prostate cancer). The examination is painless and does not involve any risks or side effects.

Here you will find further information as well as selected elastography specialists and centers.

When is elastography of the prostate necessary?

Prostate elastography is used together with conventional ultrasound and vascular imaging (Doppler) in the case of

• unclear increases in the PSA value (prostate-specific antigen),
• unclear palpation findings of the prostate,
• previous biopsy of the prostate without evidence of carcinoma and
• suspected carcinoma in high-risk patients as part of screening (familial prostate carcinomas).

for use.

Figure 1: Color representation of the tissue elasticity of the prostate

Significance of elastography of the prostate

The clarification of abnormal prostate findings is still a diagnostic problem today. Abnormal findings include a high PSA value or a hardened palpation.

Examination of the prostate using ultrasound through the rectum(TRUS) has not brought the hoped-for diagnostic breakthrough.

Elastography of the prostate is an additional, TRUS-based imaging procedure. It improves the clarification of suspicious prostate findings.

Elastography of this kind is

• not painful,
• involves no radiation exposure and
• does not require any specific preparation of the patient.

How is elastography of the prostate performed?

The examination does not differ significantly from a conventional TRUS. However, it does take a little longer.

The doctor first performs a conventional TRUS.

For elastography, a barely perceptible pressure is applied to the prostate. A special pressure transducer in the transducer registers the elasticity of the tissue. The device then projects the measured values in color onto the normal ultrasound image.

This enables the doctor to detect suspicious hardenings that cannot be felt on ultrasound.

Are there any risks involved in the examination?

Elastography of the prostate does not involve any risks or side effects. No follow-up treatment is necessary after the examination.

Findings on elastography of the prostate

Together with a TRUS and a Doppler examination, a detailed picture of the prostate findings is obtained in the vast majority of cases.

Figure 2

If a prostate carcinoma is suspected, a tissue sample (biopsy) must be taken from the prostate. The doctor then usually performs a so-called randomized biopsy. To do this, he takes tissue samples more or less blindly from the areas where the carcinoma is likely to be found.

Elastography can be used to guide the biopsy in real time. The doctor then takes the samples from the suspicious areas under visual control. This significantly increases the accuracy of the biopsy and thus avoids repeat biopsies.