TRUS Biopsies

Ultrasound scans use high frequency sound waves to create a picture of a part of the body. A prostate ultrasound scan can show changes in your prostate, including abnormal growths.

The ultrasound scanner has a microphone that gives off sound waves. The sound waves bounce off the organs inside your body, and the microphone picks them up. The microphone links to a computer. This turns the sound waves into a picture on the screen.

What is a TRUS guided biopsy?

This is a type of needle biopsy to look for cancer cells in the prostate. Your doctor takes a series of small tissue samples from the prostate to examine under the microscope.

You have the biopsy through your back passage (rectum) using an ultrasound probe.

Preparing for your TRUS and guided biopsy

You usually have this test in the outpatient department using a local anaesthetic. Rarely, you may have it in the operating theatre under a general anaesthetic. This is when you are asleep and don’t feel anything.

Your doctor or nurse will ask you to sign a consent form once they have given you information about the test.

You can't have a TRUS biopsy if you have a urine infection. Some hospitals might ask you to do a urine test to confirm.

You take antibiotics to stop an infection from developing after the biopsy. Your doctor will explain when you need to take the antibiotics and for how long. This is usually for a couple of days afterwards.

You need to make sure your bowel is empty when you go for your appointment. You might need to have an enema to empty your bowel. An enema is a liquid that you put into your back passage (rectum). Or you might have a liquid medicine to swallow the day before. You need to stay close to a toilet for a few hours after taking the medicine.