title: Inflammatory disorders of the prostate and the distal genital tract.
abstract: Inflammatory disease of the prostate and distal genital tract is emerging as a major health problem because it is estimated that up to 15% of adult men may be affected at some point in their lives. Clinically, the diagnosis of "prostatitis" refers to multiple disorders that cause pelvic pain and discomfort, ranging from acute bacterial infection to complex conditions that may not necessarily be caused by prostatic inflammation. Because the traditional etiology-based classification system did not always correlate with symptoms and therapeutic efficacy, a new classification of prostatitis has been suggested by the National Institutes of Health. New imaging techniques such as high-resolution transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) and MR imaging provide exquisite anatomic detail and often play a crucial role in the evaluation of these patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. jill.langer@uphs.upenn.edu
authors.forename: Jill E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Langer
authors.forename: François
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cornud
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D004543:Ejaculatory Ducts / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D009316:National Institutes of Health (U.S.); D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000175:diagnosis; D011472:Prostatitis / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014481:United States