Prostatitis, prostate adenoma, cancer - these are the diseases that are increasingly diagnosed in men at an appointment with a urologist. The prostate gland is very vulnerable to external stimuli and to the negative effects of the environment.
Due to hormonal changes in the male body, the prostate can increase in size and become inflamed. For this reason, many serious diseases develop. If one of the symptoms of a disease of the genitourinary system appears, you should immediately consult a doctor and undergo a thorough diagnosis. In order to study the patient, MRI of the prostate is often used.
Features of the procedure
Thanks to this basic procedure, serious prostate diseases in men are diagnosed. Using a high-precision diagnostic method, the effectiveness of further treatment of the male organ is ensured. This is especially important with prostate adenoma.
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) will effectively and safely detect tumors in the prostate. The study of the organ is carried out by irradiation with a magnetic field. The equipment gives the result in the form of a clear picture of the organ. X-ray photo allows you to assess the general condition of the tissues. MRI of the prostate gland does not harm the patient’s health, but doctors nevertheless recommend that this kind of examination be done no more than 2 times a year.
What is the purpose of diagnosis?
MRI makes it possible to diagnose a malignant tumor of the prostate. This type of study helps to identify cancer in the early stages of the disease. In addition, this type of diagnosis allows you to identify:
- tumor cells behind the bone structure;
- latent anomaly;
- inflammatory process.
With the help of prostate MRI, it is possible to assess the structure and size of the prostate. This type of diagnosis is the most accurate, not counting a biopsy. This diagnostic method does not require a special approach.
Indications for
After a visual examination of the patient, the doctor listens to the patient's complaints. In the event that a man is worried about pain in the pelvic area and there are problems with urination, the doctor prescribes additional studies. It is imperative to have an MRI of the prostate if:
- the prostate is too enlarged;
- there is an inflammatory process;
- there is an accumulation of fluid in the pelvic organs;
- there is a suspicion of a benign or malignant neoplasm of the prostate.
MRI is prescribed to detect diseases in the early stages of their development. Using tomography, a specialist monitors the treatment process. This makes it possible to evaluate the effectiveness of drugs prescribed by your doctor.
How to prepare for the diagnosis?
Many are concerned about how to prepare for an MRI of the prostate gland. Preparation does not require complex actions. But still doctors recommend:
- A day before the study does not lead an active sex life.
- Healthy food. You should exclude from the diet those foods that contain a large amount of fiber.
- Before the procedure itself, it is advisable to take activated carbon. This will help eliminate bloating and fermentation. If a patient on the eve of an MRI used sour-milk products or carbonated drinks, then bloating may appear, which will prevent the doctor from assessing the general condition of the tissues of a particular organ. The intestines and other organs will block the image.
Many experts recommend cleansing the stomach with an enema or taking a laxative a day before an MRI of the prostate. Preparation for the study should be based on the recommendations of the attending physician. It is undesirable to drink plenty of water before the procedure itself, as this can interfere with the diagnosis.
To obtain a clear image, the patient is prohibited from moving during the procedure. The process of preparing for MRI of the prostate gland in men causes little excitement. Therefore, it is advisable to take a sedative before the procedure.
Before entering the office, you must turn off the phone and take off your metal jewelry, belts and clothes with a zipper. Pins, bank cards and a hearing aid must be removed. It is better to leave all metal things outside the cabinet.
Diagnostic process
So, how is MRI of the prostate performed in Moscow and other cities? The procedure is carried out using a cylindrical installation, around it there is a strong magnet. First of all, the patient is located on a special table, which is gradually moved inside the unit. Before turning on the tomograph, the doctor leaves the treatment room and monitors the diagnosis from the next room. The whole process of MRI of the prostate is controlled by the most modern computer. The whole procedure takes no more than 25 minutes.
If the doctor uses contrast during the study, then the man needs to be under the tomograph for about 50 minutes. To assess the composition of cells, sometimes a specialist performs spectroscopy. MRI with prostate contrast does not cause pain in the patient. A man can only feel the heat that is released by the magnetic field.
After administration of a contrast medium, the patient feels a metallic taste in the respiratory system. There is a slight tingling sensation in the prostate gland. After the procedure, the patient can immediately leave the office and go home. It is not necessary to restore the body after MRI. The patient receives the results of the study a day after the study.
For what purpose do doctors use an additional substance?
Contrasting with MRI makes it possible to accurately determine the location of the affected cells. Colored material enters damaged tissue. This allows you to determine the exact size of the organ and tumors. If the patient is diagnosed with allergies, then contrasting is not used.
The main advantages of the method
Nowadays, prostate is often diagnosed with MRI. Many are interested in what the MRI of the prostate shows. This type of research has a number of advantages, among which:
- diagnosis of a wide variety of diseases;
- is one of the most accurate methods for the study of cancer, because with the help of MRI you can evaluate the chemical structures of the organ;
- accurately displays fabrics;
- harmless to the patient, since the patient does not receive a radiation dose during the examination.
It is possible to conduct research without the use of a coloring substance, which is contraindicated in the presence of an allergic reaction in the patient.
Disadvantages of the procedure
The main disadvantages include the high cost and duration of the study. The patient does not feel any discomfort or pain during the examination.
When is MRI prohibited?
Contraindications to the conduct can be both absolute and relative. The main limitation on this type of diagnosis is a metal or electronic object that is inside a person. In the presence of an implant, it is forbidden to perform even with cancer of the prostate MRI. In the event that the specialist does not believe that the foreign body will distort the result of tomography, then the procedure is performed.
It is forbidden to examine the patient with MRI in the presence of a hearing aid. The presence of clips in the patient’s body, which are implanted in the brain, and other metal alloy implants are the most important contraindication for MRI of the prostate. Before the procedure, the doctor should carefully examine the patient and assess his general health. The patient must report all artificial objects that are in his body.
Causes of Male Diseases
Increasingly, men find signs of prostatitis. This is due to the occurrence of abnormalities in the functioning of the prostate gland. There are several reasons why prostatitis may appear. Prostate MRI with contrast will help to identify pathologies at an early stage of development.
Most often, infectious prostatitis occurs, which develops due to the penetration of harmful microorganisms into the body. Bacteria or viruses enter the pelvic area and affect the mucous membrane of the prostate. As a result, it becomes inflamed and increases significantly in size. Can provoke the appearance of diseases:
- A stagnant pelvic process. As a result of circulatory disorders and fluid stagnation, the organ increases. Often there is prostatitis amid hypodynamia or excess weight.
- Infection Often with prostatitis in men, harmful bacteria such as staphylococcus and chlamydia are detected in the body. In rare cases, the infection affects the prostate due to ARVI or the common cold.
- Injury to the pelvic organs. Often prostatitis and prostate adenoma appear in men who have received severe trauma.
In addition, there are factors due to which other diseases of the genitourinary system may appear. These include:
- regular hypothermia of the body;
- violation of the endocrine system;
- frequent change of sexual partners;
- any chronic disease;
- reduced immunity;
- irregular sex life.
To minimize the risk of prostatitis, you should visit a doctor in a timely manner and undergo a medical examination.
Complications and Therapy
In the event that one of the signs of prostatitis appears, it is necessary to consult a doctor in a timely manner, since many diseases associated with the genitourinary system in men can develop and turn into complex forms. In order to reduce the risk of prostatitis and prostate adenoma, you should:
- Healthy food;
- Avoid random sexual intercourse;
- visit a doctor regularly;
- lead a healthy lifestyle;
- do physical education.
After numerous studies, doctors concluded that smoking negatively affects the functioning of the prostate gland. Nicotine irritates the mucous membrane of an organ. Given the fact that after 40 years in men hormonal changes occur in the body, this can adversely affect the endocrine system. The main thing is not to self-medicate and not to use alternative methods of therapy, as this can harm and greatly aggravate the situation.
Massage treatment
In the early stages of the development of diseases associated with the prostate gland, treatment is carried out much faster and more efficiently. In case of advanced disease, the therapy is carried out by a surgical or laser method. If the prostate is not too large in size, then the treatment is carried out using massage.
In the process of performing massage actions, the body secretes a secret with which all harmful microorganisms come out. After a few days, the patient feels relief, as the inflammatory process and aching pain are eliminated. The effectiveness of the procedure is determined by the doctor who conducts a finger examination of the anus.
Using gloves, the urologist sticks the index finger into the patient's anus and determines the presence or absence of cracks. The doctor assesses the size and condition of the prostate gland.
If during the examination a man feels severe and sharp pain, then the diagnosis is carried out using ultrasound. If cancer is suspected, a tissue biopsy is performed. Diagnosis of male diseases includes:
- delivery of a general clinical blood test;
- smear analysis for bacterial culture;
- MRI
- Ultrasound
Finally
Preparation for the study of prostate MRI does not require special knowledge, but it is still better to follow all the doctor’s recommendations. Based on the results of the study, the urologist prescribes treatment. If the drug therapy method did not give a positive result, then the problem is eliminated surgically.
You can determine the presence of pathology using MRI of the prostate gland. Indications for conducting are painful sensations and a malfunction in the patient's reproductive system.