Contrast Enhanced-Transrectal Ultrasound

Contrast Enhanced-Transrectal Ultrasound (CE-TRUS) is a diagnostic imaging intervention that utilizes intravenously administered ultrasound contrast agents (UCAs), typically gas-filled microbubbles, to enhance the visualization of blood flow and microvascularity within the prostate gland. In research conducted at the Sidney Kimmel Cancer Center at Thomas Jefferson University, this technique is employed to assess prostatic neovascularity as a surrogate marker for treatment response in patients with intermediate or high-risk localized prostate cancer undergoing external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). The microbubbles act as blood-pool agents, increasing the acoustic backscatter of ultrasound waves and allowing for the quantification of microvessel density. Changes in vascular patterns detected via CE-TRUS are investigated for their ability to predict early treatment failure or successful response, as tumor-associated neovascularity typically decreases following effective therapy due to anti-angiogenic effects and apoptosis.

Other names

CE-TRUSContrast-Enhanced Transrectal UltrasoundContrast Enhanced Transrectal Ultrasound (TRUS)