The digital rectal method has shown its effectiveness over the years and therefore appears as the only test to diagnose prostate cancer. Now, international specialists are contesting the exam and indicating that it can be done through an MRI. The advancement of technology may demarcate the moment when the rectal examination is extinguished after the new questioning. Would it be, therefore, the end of digital rectal examination to diagnose prostate disease?
Digital rectal exam for prostate exam
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The specialist doctor, during the touch, evaluates the wall of the rectum by inserting a finger into the anus of the patient being evaluated. By touching the rectum, the doctor evaluates the prostate glands and checks for evidence of local cancer, in addition to diagnosing the health of the rectum and anus.
The exam was the only effective method until 1986. This year, the blood test capable of diagnosing prostate diseases appeared. In English, the acronym is PSA, when the doctor extracts the blood of the evaluated patient.
In many cases, when the procedure is performed correctly, the patient does not feel pain and there is no embarrassment during the procedure.
For women, the exam is also valid. Different from what many people think, specialists are able to assess ovarian cancer in obvious cases. For men, when the prostate gland is inflamed by prostatitis, the doctor can tell by touch.
Alternative to touch exam
The University of Medicine in the UK seeks to develop clinical methods to extend current resources. Relying solely on technology may not seem like such an effective source, and patients rely on the clinical experience of healthcare professionals.
Although, certainly, there are times when technology proves to be more effective in discovering a disease, for example, that is still in its early stages.
This is the case with magnetic resonance imaging, which offers images with details, unlike tomography and X-rays. For the initial stage of prostate cancer, for example, MRI is totally effective, with proof superior to digital rectal examination.
On the other hand, the exam is more expensive and not all places offer the resource. On the other hand, the PSA blood test can diagnose illnesses in the prostate, which does not mean that it will be effective in proving cancer.
For this reason, despite many taboos involved in digital rectal examination, the exam is consistent with what is offered and effective in most cases. If cancer is suspected at an early stage, for example, the doctor may request a detailed imaging examination.
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