title: Is determination of transition zone volume by transrectal ultrasound in patients with clinically benign prostatic enlargement sufficiently reliable in the clinical setting?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Controversies exist regarding the accuracy of transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) determination of transition zone volume (TZV) when compared with enucleated adenoma weight.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To determine the accuracy and reliability of measurements of the TZV by TRUS, by comparing preoperative radiological findings with the enucleated prostate adenoma volume, measured by fluid displacement volumetry (FDV), after retropubic prostatectomy performed by the Millin method, and, moreover, to evaluate changes in the surgical capsule size in the intermediate postoperative period.
  
  
  METHODS
  We measured TZV preoperatively using TRUS and postoperatively with FDV in 112 patients who underwent retroperitoneal prostatectomy for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The TRUS volume correlated well with specimen volumes (r = 0.945, p < 0.0001). The median (quartile 1, quartile 3) absolute error was 7.35 ml (4.15 ml, 9.28 ml) and the median percent error was 9.12% (4.75%, 14.98%). Percent error, but not absolute error, was significantly related to TRUS TZV (p < 0.001 and 0.217, respectively). Adenomas > 80 cc were associated with lower percent error. The median volume of the residual prostate tissue measured 3.5 years after prostatectomy was 92.65 cc (65.75 cc, 109.58 cc), whereas the median volume of the surgical capsule, depending on the equation used for its calculation, was 24.80 cc (16.25 cc, 37.37 cc) and 31.43 cc (23.14 cc, 43.32 cc).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The TRUS TZV correlated well with values determined by FDV. It can be reliably used in clinical management of BPH.
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Szopinski
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Tomasz
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Golabek
authors.affiliation: 1 Department of Urology of the Postgraduate Medical Education Centre, European Health Centre, Otwock, Poland.
authors.forename: Andrzej
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Borówka
authors.affiliation: Department of Urology, Jagiellonian University Medical College, Krakow, Poland.
authors.forename: Piotr
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chłosta
keywords: benign prostatic enlargement; simple prostatectomy; transition zone volume; transrectal ultrasound