Digital Rectal Examination

From Anvita Health Wiki

Contents 1 Indications 2 Notes 3 More General Terms 4 Additional Terms 5 References

Indications

• may reveal prostate or rectal malignancy
• allows for assessment of anal sphincter tone
• allows for testing of fecal occult blood
• allows for assessing approximate size of prostate
  

• Limitations:

• NOT a reliable screen for prostate cancer [3]
• not a useful screen for colorectal carcinoma [3]

• allows for examination of only part of the rectum
• sensitivity 5% for detection of advanced neoplasia* [4]
  

• * tubular adenoma > 10 mm, villous adenoma, high-grad dysplasia or colorectal cancer

Notes

• does NOT significantly affect serum prostate-specific antigen ( PSA)

More General Terms

• clinical procedure

Additional Terms

• benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH)
• fecal occult blood; fecal immunochemical testing (FOB, FIT, iFOBT, ColonCARE, Hemoccult, ICT, InSure)
• kallikrein-3, prostate-specific antigen (PSA), semenogelase, seminin, gamma-seminoprotein or protein E1
• prostate carcinoma (prostate cancer)
• rectal carcinoma
• screening for colon cancer
• screening for prostate cancer

References

1. nlmpubs.nlm.nih.gov/hstat/ahcpr/
2. Medical Knowledge Self Assessment Program (MKSAP) 11, American College of Physicians, Philadelphia 1998
3. US Preventative Services Task Force
4. Journal Watch 25(4):30, 2005 Collins JF, Lieberman DA, Durbin TE, Weiss DG; Veterans Affairs Cooperative Study #380 Group. Accuracy of screening for fecal occult blood on a single stool sample obtained by digital rectal examination: a comparison with recommended sampling practice. Ann Intern Med. 2005 Jan 18;142(2):81-5. Summary for patients in: Ann Intern Med. 2005 Jan 18;142(2):I23. PMID: [1]

digital rectal examination (DRE)