Three-dimensional ultrasound imaging systems for prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment

3D ultrasound imaging system for imaging the prostate can be interfaced to any conventional ultrasound machine, and can accommodate side-firing transrectal ultrasound transducers. After acquiring a series of 2D ultrasound images, a 3D image is reconstructed. The 3D image is available to the physician, allowing the prostate to be viewed interactively in multiple simultaneous planes, allowing better visualization of its internal architecture. This approach allows the physician to record and view the whole prostate in successive examinations, making 3D TRUS well-suited to performing prospective or follow-up studies. The results indicate that 3D ultrasound imaging of the prostate has great potential as a tool for the diagnosis and follow-up of prostate disease.