PREPUBIC AND TRANSRECTAL ULTRASONOGRAPHY OF THE CANINE PROSTATE - A COMPARATIVE-STUDY

A comparative study was conducted in ten dogs with signs of prostatic disease in order to evaluate the usefulness of the prepubic and transr ectal ultrasonography for the examination of the prostate gland and fo r prostate biopsy guidance. Both techniques were adequate to identify the prostate gland and prostatic urethra. Transrectal ultrasound found 5 occurrencies of parenchymal echogenicity changes whereas the prepub ic technique found only 2. Lesions in the cranial prostatic margin (tw o dogs) were detected only by prepubic ultrasound. Lesions of the caud al prostatic margin (six dogs), prostatic urethra disruption (two dogs ) and prostatic capsule abnormalities (five dogs) were only recognized by the transrectal approach. Prepubic ultrasonography was useful for biopsy guidance of cranial prostatic lesions and transrectal ultrasono graphy was a good means for biopsy guidance of caudal lesions.