Standardized assessment to enhance the diagnostic value of prostate volume; Part I: Morphometry in patients with lower urinary tract symptoms.

BACKGROUND The diagnostic value of prostate volume results has been evaluated in patients with prostate problems of benign cause. METHODS For 247 patients, automated volume results were compared to manual results of planimetric reference volume and of the classical ellipsoid formula. Also, transition zone volume was estimated and growth curves of the prostate and prostate dimensions over age were investigated. RESULTS Application of automated volume determination gives accurate results compared to the reference volume (Pearson correlation, R = 0.938). The ellipsoid volume results were slightly less correlated (R = 0.921). Average growth of the entire prostate was 1.7% per year, for the transition zone the growth was 4.3%. Compared to growth rates for a community-based population, comparable growth rates were found for our group that had higher mean prostate volume. CONCLUSIONS The results indicate that the age of onset of volume growth is the determining factor in developing benign prostate enlargement not a change in growth rate.