Determination of canine prostatic volume using transabdominal ultrasonography

The prostate gland from cadavers of 12 intact adult male dogs euthanized less than 3 hour were used to compare prostatic volume measured by ultrasonography to volume measured by water displacement, and to determine specific gravity of the canine prostate. Prostate glands were scanned by transabdominal ultrasonography with a 4-7 MHz curved linear array transducer. The greatest craniocaudal (L), transverse (W), and dorsoventral (D) diameters of the prostate were recorded. Prostatic volume was calculated using formulas for an ellipsoid and for a box. Prostate glands were removed, and the prostate weight was measured and prostatic volume was measured by water displacement. The mean +/- SD specific gravity of the prostate was 1 +/- 0.05 (range = 0.90 to 1.09) g/cm. There were positive correlations (R2 = 0.94) between prostatic volume calculated from ultrasound measurement and measured volume. Measured prostatic volume (VM) can be predicted using the formula: VM = [1/2.6 (L x W x D)] + 1.8 (cm3).