超音波診断の位置づけ

Abstract

Ultrasonographic study has shared an increasingly important role in various fields of recent urology. We have reviewed the situation around this technic up-to-date, comparing it to computerized tomography (CT) and angiography. Ultrasonography, besides its diagnostic value, is especially characterized by the fact that it is enough harmless and unexpensive to allow the repeated maneuvers. The ordinary expense of a single ultrasonographic examination is calculated as approximately ¥3, 600 which nearly corresponds to 1/5 and 1/6 of that of CT and angiography, respectively. .A case, 28 year-old-male, was demonstrated. He underwent a probe operation exceedingly based upon the CT finding which suggested the retrovesical tumor infiltrating rectum and the bladder wall and involving the prostate gland. Transrectal ultrasonotomography, however, showed only the swelling prostate in normal shape with less internal echo. The diagnosis had been acute prostatitis as was turned out. UltrasDnography cannot naturally replace all other diagnostic tools but will certainly save another invading procedures in part if it is properly adopted. It is taking the place of pelvic angiography in staging bladder cancer, for instance.