Hypoechoic Rim of Chronically Inflamed Prostate, as Seen at TRUS: Histopathologic Findings

  • Hak Jong Lee (Department of Radiology, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Samsung Cheil Hospital) ;
  • Ghee Young Choe (Department of Pathology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, and the Institute of Radiation Medicine, SNUMRC) ;
  • Chang Gyu Seong (Department of Radiology, Kyungpook National University College of Medicine) ;
  • Seung Hyup Kim (Department of Radiology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, and the Institute of Radiation Medicine, SNUMRC)
  • Received : 2001.03.20
  • Accepted : 2001.08.02
  • Published : 2001.09.30

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study is to correlate the findings of peripheral hypoechoic rim, seen at transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) in chronic prostatitis patients, with the histopthologic findings. Materials and Methods: Seven patients with pathologically proven chronic prostatitis were involved in this study. The conspicuity of the peripheral hypoechoic prostatic rim, seen at TRUS, was prominent and subtle, and to determine its histopathologic nature, the microscopic findings were reviewed. Results: In five of seven cases (71%), TRUS demonstrated a prominent peripheral hypoechoic rim. Microscopic examination revealed that inflammatory cell infiltration of prostatic glandular tissue was severe in three cases (42.9%), moderate in two (28.6%), and minimal in two (28.6%). In all seven cases, the common histopathologic findings of peripheral hypoechoic rim on TRUS were loose stromal tissues, few prostatic glands, and sparse infiltration by inflammatory cells. Conclusion: The peripheral hypoechoic rim accompanying prostatic inflammation and revealed by TRUS reflects a sparsity of prostate glandular tissue and is thought to be an area in which inflammatory cell infiltration is minimal.

Keywords

References

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