ARE TRANSRECTAL ULTRASONICALLY GUIDED BIOPSIES REQUIRED FOR THE ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS OF CARCINOMA OF THE PROSTATE - CAN DIGITALLY GUIDED SYSTEMATIC BIOPSIES OFFER AN ACCEPTABLE ALTERNATIVE

Objective To compare the diagnostic yield of ultrasonically guided and digitally guided systematic biopsies of the prostate. Patients and me thods Fifty two patients with suspected but unproven carcinoma of the prostate underwent simultaneous transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS)-gui ded and digitally guided systematic biopsies of the prostate, A mean o f 12 cores was obtained from each patient, On average more cores were obtained with TRUS guidance (mean 6.7) than with digital guidance (mea n 5.3). Results Cancer was detected in 19 patients and the diagnosis w as made by both techniques in 16, Two patients had tumour detected onl y with TRUS guidance and one only with digital guidance, No complicati ons occurred. Conclusion This study indicates that there is no signifi cant difference between TRUS guidance and digital guidance to direct s ystematic biopsies of the prostate. The use of routine TRUS in screeni ng programmes is now in doubt.