Prostatitis, prostate adenoma, cancer - these are the diseases that are increasingly being diagnosed in a man at a urologist's appointment. The prostate gland is very vulnerable to external stimuli and negative environmental influences.
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, an MRI of the prostate is often used.
Features of the procedure
This basic procedure diagnoses serious prostate problems in men. With the help of a high-precision diagnostic method, the effectiveness of further therapy of the male organ is ensured. This is especially important for prostate adenoma.
MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) is effective and safedetect tumors in the prostate. The study of the body 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. An MRI of the prostate gland does not harm the patient's he alth, but doctors still recommend that this type of examination be performed no more than 2 times a year.
What is the purpose of diagnostics?
MRI makes it possible to diagnose a malignant tumor of the prostate. This type of research helps to identify cancer in the early stages of the disease. In addition, this type of diagnosis allows you to identify:
- tumor cells behind bone structure;
- hidden anomaly;
- inflammatory process.
With the help of MRI of the prostate, it is possible to assess the structure and size of the prostate. This type of diagnosis is the most accurate, apart from a biopsy. This diagnostic method does not require a special approach.
Indications for conduction
After a visual examination of the patient, the doctor listens to the patient's complaints. In the event that a man is concerned about pain in the pelvic area and there are problems with urination, the doctor prescribes additional studies. Prostate MRI should be mandatory if:
- prostate too enlarged;
- there is an inflammatory process;
- fluid accumulates in the pelvic area;
- there is a suspicion of benign ormalignant neoplasm of the prostate.
MRI is prescribed to detect diseases in the early stages of their development. With the help of tomography, the specialist controls the treatment process. This makes it possible to evaluate the effectiveness of the drugs prescribed by the attending physician.
How to prepare for a diagnosis?
Many people are concerned about how to prepare for a prostate MRI. Preparation does not require complex actions. But doctors still recommend:
- Do not have an active sex life the day before the study.
- Eat right. Foods that are high in fiber should be excluded from the diet.
- Before the procedure, it is advisable to take activated charcoal. This will help eliminate bloating and fermentation. If the patient on the eve of the MRI consumed fermented milk products or carbonated drinks, then swelling 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 obscure the image.
Many experts recommend emptying the stomach with an enema or taking a laxative the day before a prostate MRI. Preparation for the study should be carried out based on the recommendations of the attending physician. It is not advisable to drink a lot of water before the procedure itself, as this may interfere with the diagnosis.
To obtain a clear image, the patient is prohibited from moving during the procedure. The process of preparing for an MRI of the prostate gland in men causes a slightexcitement. Therefore, it is advisable to take a sedative before the procedure.
Before entering the office, you must turn off the phone and remove metal jewelry, belts and clothing with a zipper. Remove pins, bank cards and hearing aids. It is better to leave all metal things outside the office.
Diagnostic process
So, how is an MRI of the prostate performed in Moscow and in other cities? The procedure is carried out using a cylindrical installation, around which 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 observes the diagnostics from the next room. The entire prostate MRI process is controlled by the most modern computer. The whole procedure takes no more than 25 minutes.
If during the study the doctor uses contrast, then the man needs to be under the tomograph for about 50 minutes. To assess the composition of cells, sometimes a specialist conducts spectroscopy. MRI with contrast of the prostate does not cause pain in the patient. A man can only feel the warmth that is generated by the magnetic field.
After the injection of a contrast agent, the patient feels a metallic taste in the respiratory system. There is a slight tingling in the prostate gland. After the procedure, the patient can immediately leave the office and go home. There is no need to restore the body after an MRI. Sickreceives the results of the study a day after the study.
Why do doctors use an additional substance?
Contrast in MRI makes it possible to accurately locate affected cells. The colored substance enters the damaged tissues. This allows you to determine the exact size of the organ and tumors. If the patient is diagnosed with an allergy, then contrast is not used.
Main advantages of the method
In our time, the prostate is often diagnosed using MRI. Many people are interested in what the MRI of the prostate gland shows? This type of research has a number of advantages, including:
- diagnosing a variety of diseases;
- is one of the most accurate methods for the study of oncological diseases, since with the help of MRI it is possible to assess the chemical structures of the organ;
- accurately displays fabrics;
- harmless to the patient as the patient does not receive any radiation dose during the examination.
It is possible to conduct research without the use of a dye, which is contraindicated in the presence of an allergic reaction in a patient.
Flaws 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 MRI is prohibited?
Contraindications to conduction can be both absolute andrelative. The main limitation for this type of diagnostics falls on a metal or electronic object that is inside a person. In the presence of an implant, it is forbidden to carry out even with prostate cancer MRI. In the event that the specialist does not believe that the foreign body will distort the result of the tomography, then the procedure is performed.
It is forbidden to examine a patient with an MRI while wearing 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 main contraindication to prostate MRI. Before the procedure, the doctor must carefully examine the patient and assess his general he alth. The patient must report all artificial objects that are in his body.
Causes of male diseases
Increasingly, men are showing signs of prostatitis. This is due to the occurrence of disorders in the work of the prostate gland. There are several reasons why prostatitis may appear. MRI of the prostate gland with contrast will help to identify pathologies at an early stage of development.
The most common infectious prostatitis, which develops due to the penetration of harmful microorganisms into the body. Bacteria or viruses enter the pelvic area and infect the prostate mucosa. As a result, it becomes inflamed and increases significantly in size. Can provoke the appearance of diseases:
- Congestion in the pelvic area. As a resultcirculatory disorders and fluid stagnation of the body increases. Often there is prostatitis on the background of physical inactivity 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 SARS or a cold.
- Injury to the pelvic organs. Often prostatitis and prostate adenoma appear in men who have been severely injured.
In addition, there are factors due to which other diseases of the genitourinary system may appear. These include:
- regular hypothermia of the body;
- endocrine disruption;
- frequent change of sexual partners;
- any chronic disease;
- lowered immunity;
- irregular sex life.
To minimize the risk of prostatitis, it is worth visiting a doctor in time and undergoing 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:
- eat right;
- avoid casual sex;
- go to the doctor regularly;
- lead a he althy lifestyle;
- exercise.
After numerous studies, doctors concluded that smoking negatively affects the functioning of the prostate gland. Nicotine irritates the mucous membrane of the organ. Given the fact that after the age of 40 men experience hormonal changes in the body, this can adversely affect the functioning of 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 much faster and more effective. In the case of an advanced disease, therapy is carried out by a surgical or laser method. If the prostate is not too enlarged, then the treatment is carried out with the help of 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 performs a digital examination of the anus.
Using gloves, the urologist sticks his 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 a strong and sharp pain, then the diagnosis is carried out using ultrasound. If there is a suspicion of cancer, then a tissue biopsy is performed. Diagnostics for mendisease includes:
- taking a general clinical blood test;
- smear analysis for bacterial culture;
- MRI;
- Ultrasound.
In conclusion
Preparing for an MRI examination of the prostate gland 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 medical method of therapy did not give a positive result, then the problem is eliminated surgically.
You can determine the presence of pathology with the help of MRI of the prostate gland. Pain and failure in the patient's reproductive system are considered indications for the procedure.
