Hematospermia--the added value of transrectal ultrasound to clinical evaluation: is transrectal ultrasound necessary for evaluation of hematospermia?

Clin Imaging. 2013 Sep-Oct;37(5):913-6. doi: 10.1016/j.clinimag.2013.05.007. Epub 2013 Jul 9.

Abstract

Hematospermia is usually caused by nonspecific inflammation of the prostate and seminal vesicles. Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) is a safe and inexpensive modality for evaluating patients with hematospermia. The aim of this study is to describe the findings of TRUS and its contribution to patients' management. A total of 115 consecutive patients presented with hematospermia and evaluated with TRUS between 2006 and 2012. All patients exhibited an abnormality in the TRUS examination. A 12-core TRUS-guided biopsy of the prostate was taken from 10 patients, but none of these samples were positive for tumor. In the vast majority of cases, a benign cause can be identified using TRUS. These causes usually do not require treatment.

Keywords: Hematospermia; Prostate; Seminal vesicle; Transrectal ultrasound.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Hemospermia / diagnostic imaging*
  • Hemospermia / epidemiology
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Prostate / diagnostic imaging*
  • Prostate / pathology
  • Prostatic Hyperplasia / diagnostic imaging
  • Prostatic Hyperplasia / enzymology
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Prostatic Neoplasms / epidemiology
  • Seminal Vesicles / diagnostic imaging*
  • Seminal Vesicles / pathology
  • Ultrasonography / methods