Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)
Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) is a technique that is used most commonly to evaluate
- the prostate gland, including ultrasound-guided prostate biopsies
- depth of invasion of colon/rectal cancer (for staging purposes)
It can also be used for guidance in placing a transrectal drain, or in rare problem-solving situations in which pelvic organs are inadequately evaluated with a transabdominal approach and the transvaginal approach is not possible or not preferred.
Its utility in evaluating the prostate gland is analogous to transvaginal imaging in women. The ultrasound probe is placed as close as possible to the organ of interest, allowing a higher frequency probe to be employed with a subsequent improvement in spatial resolution.
