Korean J Androl.  2011 Dec;29(3):206-212. 10.5534/kja.2011.29.3.206.

Clinical Significance of Transrectal Ultrasonography and Efficacy of Dutasteride Treatment in Patients with Hemospermia

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Urology, Chonnam National University Medical School, Gwangju, Korea. kpark@chonnam.ac.kr

Abstract

PURPOSE
The aims of this study were to investigate the clinical significance of transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) and the efficacy of dutasteride (5alpha-reductase inhibitor) in patients with hemospermia.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
From January 2005 to December 2008, 60 patients with hemospermia were enrolled in the study. All patients underwent a digital rectal examination and TRUS; serum prostate specific antigen was also measured. The management of hemospermia was one of the following: watchful waiting, dutasteride treatment, or antibiotics with dutasteride.
RESULTS
Thirty-four patients (56.7%) had positive findings on TRUS. There were 16 cases (26.7%) of prostate calcification, 13 cases (21.7%) of ejaculatory duct cyst, 3 cases (5%) of ejaculatory duct calcification, a case of seminal vesicle inflammation, and a case of ejaculatory duct dilation. Dutasteride treatment resulted in improvement of symptoms in 87.9% (29/33) of the cases, whereas treatment with antibiotics or antibiotics with dutasteride resulted in a 100% (6/6) success rate. However, among 14 watchful waiting patients, only 3 patients (21.4%) showed an improvement of symptoms.
CONCLUSIONS
This study showed that TRUS is an easy and effective method for the assessment of hemospermia, and also revealed that dutasteride could be a useful agent in the treatment of hemospermia.

Keyword

Hemospermia; Ultrasound; Transrectal; Dutasteride

MeSH Terms

Anti-Bacterial Agents
Azasteroids
Digital Rectal Examination
Ejaculatory Ducts
Hemospermia
Humans
Inflammation
Male
Prostate
Prostate-Specific Antigen
Seminal Vesicles
Watchful Waiting
Dutasteride
Anti-Bacterial Agents
Azasteroids
Prostate-Specific Antigen

Figure

  • Fig. 1. Transrectal ultrasonographic (TRUS) findings in patients with hemospermia. (A) Prostate multiple calcifications. (B) Ejaculatory duct cysts (+: ejaculatory duct cyst). (C) Ejaculatory duct calcifications. (D) Seminal vesicle calcifications. (E) Ejaculatory duct dilation.


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