Clinical evaluation of inside echo patterns in gray scale prostatic echography.

Improved gray scale echograms in transrectal ultrasonography clearly can visualize the anatomical structure of and pathological changes in the prostatic gland. This study includes the classification of ultrasonic findings from the prostatic gland into acoustical pattern groups--solid, cystic and mixed--as well as into pathological-anatomical pattern groups--internal gland, external gland, nodule, stone and miscellaneous. The diagnostic accuracy of prostatic diseases using pattern analysis of prostatic inside echoes was 89 per cent, a 9 per cent improvement over that provided by conventional display.