Medical professionals use transrectal ultrasound to view a man's prostate. The transrectal ultasound of the prostate (TRUSP) allows doctors to identify cancers within the prostate, which would have been impossible to diagnose by a standard (digital) rectal exam.

The procedure involves inserting an instrument into the rectum. That instrument emits sound waves, which bounce off the prostate and are collected by a computer that creates a picture of the prostate, called a sonogram. It is useful for visualizing pathology within the prostate, rectum, and surrounding tissues and for needle guidance during prostatic biopsy.