What should be the size of the prostate

The normal size of the prostate gland by ultrasound is determined by sagittal and deep scanning of the organ during subsequent special calculations, for the presence or absence of pathological abnormalities.

Calculations are made relative to the anatomical location at the bladder neck and the upper part of the urethra in three directions - longitudinal, transverse, anterior-posterior.

Normal

According to average statistics, in men aged eighteen to forty years, the size of the prostate gland should normally not exceed the following values in millimeters:

• Longitudinal - 40;
• Sidewise - 42;
• Front-back - 25.

Over time, all these parameters increase. With them, the volume of the organ also increases.

Volume is considered one of the main indicators that demonstrate the norm or pathology. An adult male of reproductive age up to 40 years old has a prostate with a volume of 25 to 30 cubic centimeters.

Calculate prostate volume

Urologists usually use a universal formula to calculate the volume of the gland. It looks like this - the age of the patient x 0.13 + 16.4, where 0.13 and 16.4 are special coefficients that display normal values. Thus, it is possible to determine the normal volume of the gland for any age.

The main causes of prostate growth are:

• Age-related restructuring of parenchyma cells with a weakening of their functions;
• General health;
• Lifestyle;
• Hereditary factors.

In itself, a slightly increased size and volume of the organ may not speak of anything. Only the clinical manifestations of this transformation become critical for health:

• Difficulty urinating;
• Increased nocturnal diuresis;
• Pain in the groin;
• Weakened erection.

Ultrasound of the prostate gland and other types of research (for example, analysis of the level of free PSA in the blood) are aimed at differentiating the usual functional failure of the organ from its incipient organic degeneration.

How to distinguish the norm from the pathology

Ultrasound diagnosis of the prostate in men allows you to consider the shape, volume and internal structure of the prostate. This is important for compiling a comparative description of the various elements of the body in normal and pathological conditions and determining the strategy and tactics in the treatment of the disease and its prevention.

The shape of the gland should normally look like a rounded formation, divided into two symmetrical halves by a longitudinal groove surrounding the urethra.

Each half of a normal prostate consists of three to five dozen lobes of a homogeneous, glandular structure, with their own ducts. Through them, at the time of ejaculation, prostate secretion is released into the urethra, diluting the sperm.

The slightest change in the structure of this glandular parenchyma can lead to a breakdown not only of sexual functions, but of the entire genitourinary system. Most often this is expressed in the form of the following dysplasia pathologies:

A formal indicator of the presence of any prostatic disease in men of any age can be either an enlarged prostate volume or an abnormal PSA level. The mutual influence of these factors on each other has been proven by many years of scientific research.

An increase in the prostate indicates what

Abnormal enlargement of the prostate for a short time normally occurs mainly with hyperfunction of the testicles caused by increased sexual activity. In other cases, it would be reasonable to assume the presence of a pathological focus or age-related changes that affect men's health.

The content of PSA in the venous blood flow fluctuates around age indicators.

The increase in the size of the gland during life occurs naturally. This is affected by:

To a lesser extent, hereditary predisposition to such reactions affects this.

A pathologically altered gland, when viewed on ultrasound, is striking with its deformity, asymmetry of the sides and blurring of the internal structure. The volume can be increased due to a number of reasons:

• Infectious or mechanical inflammation and edema of part of the tissues, as well as the entire organ as a whole;
• Formation of a purulent or blood-containing cyst in one of the glandular lobes;
• Growth of a benign tumor or malignant etiology.

Which of the above can be recognized as the final diagnosis can be clarified by additional studies, including bacteriological analysis, a prostate-specific antigen test, and prostate biopsy.

Typical prostatic pathologies

The most common diseases accompanied by an increase in this organ include prostate adenoma and its cancerous hyperplasia.

Prostatitis is an inflammation of the membrane and parenchyma of the prostate, characterized by an increase in its volume due to the resulting recoil. Mechanical damage, infection, sedentary lifestyle, overweight, complications after tonsillitis, influenza, tuberculosis can lead to this pathology. In this case, the size of the gland can double. A blood test for PSA shows a corresponding increase in the level of free antigen.

The disease proceeds in an acute and, in case of untreated, chronic form.

Acute prostatitis is accompanied by the following symptoms:

• Fever;
• Frequent diuresis, including at night;
• Cutting and pain in the groin when passing urine;
• Weakened erection;
• Pain during defecation.

Chronic prostatitis is characterized by:

• Aching pain and heaviness in the groin, pubic region;
• Mucous or purulent discharge from the urethra;
• Erection failures;
• Neurological disorders.

Treatment of both forms of the disease is aimed at stopping pain, normalizing diuresis and sexual function. In this regard, the most effective use of antibiotics, physio and herbal medicine, as well as alpha-blockers that lower blood pressure and facilitate diuresis.

Prostate adenoma is a benign and predominantly age-related pathology associated with parenchymal hyperplasia. Connective tissue nodules appear in dying cells. They grow in the direction of the rectum or bladder, causing problems with defecation and urination.

The disease affects about half of adult men over 60.

In its development, the tumor goes through three stages:

At the third stage, a benign tumor often degenerates into a malignant one. A large increase in PSA levels can indicate the occurrence of cancer. With prostate cancer, it sometimes exceeds the norm by ten times.

In the case of cancer and decompensated Prostate adenoma, surgical intervention is inevitable. In cancer, the most effective is the complete extirpation of the organ. For adenoma, more sparing methods are used, consisting in transendoscopic resection of damaged tissue.

During the recovery period, conservative therapy with the use of hormonal drugs, vitamins and antibiotics is indicated.

Conclusion

An enlarged prostate gland should alert every man. The first signs are manifested in frequent nocturnal diuresis, pain during urination, pain in the groin, problems with erection. They indicate developing acute prostatitis.

In order not to bring the development to a chronic form, fraught with more serious complications in the form of an adenoma and even a cancerous tumor, you should immediately contact a urologist.