title: The value of transrectal ultrasound in the diagnosis of hematospermia in a large cohort of patients.
abstract: Several studies have proved transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) is efficient  in the evaluation of patients with hematospermia, but the numbers of patients  were less than 60 in each of the previous reports. Herein, a total of 270  patients with hematospermia were evaluated by TRUS to assess its efficacy in  the etiologic diagnosis of hematospermia. The age of patients ranged from 15  to 75 years (x, 41.2 years), and the  duration of symptoms was 1 day to 8 years  (x, 3.4 months). Abnormalities were  revealed by TRUS in 256 patients (94.8%). The percentages of pathological  conditions located in the seminal vesicles, in the ejaculatory ducts, in the  prostate, and in the bladder were 46.3% (125 cases), 29.6% (80 cases), 55.2%  (149 cases), and 0.4% (1 case), respectively. The number of patients older  than 40 years old and 40 years old or younger were 126 and 144, respectively.  Our results show significantly higher percentages for malignant diseases,  prostatic calcification and benign prostatic hyperplasia in the group of  patients more than 40 years old compared with the group of patients 40 years  old or less. Eight of 270 patients (3.0%) had malignant tumors, and all of the  8 malignancies occurred in patients more than 40 years old. TRUS is a  noninvasive, reliable tool for the investigation of causes of hematospermia.  Hematospermia is generally a benign symptom in younger patients. Special  attention should be paid to elderly patients to exclude malignancy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, No. 58, ZhongShan 2nd Rd, Guangzhou 510080, China.
authors.forename: Hongwei
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhao
authors.forename: Junhang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Luo
authors.forename: Daohu
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jian
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Wanmei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhong
authors.forename: Jinhuan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wei
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Chen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D005832:Genital Diseases, Male / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005837:Genitalia, Male / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D051516:Hemospermia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055815:Young Adult