From the Guidelines
The normal volume of the prostate gland is typically considered to be less than 30 ml.
Key Points
- The provided evidence does not directly state the normal volume of the prostate gland, but it does provide guidelines for surgical treatment based on prostate size 1.
- According to the guidelines, transurethral incision of the prostate is recommended for men with prostate size <30 ml, without a middle lobe 1.
- Other surgical treatments, such as bipolar or monopolar TURP, are recommended for prostate sizes between 30-80 ml 1.
- This suggests that a prostate size of less than 30 ml is considered relatively small and may be closer to the normal range.
- It's worth noting that the normal size of the prostate can vary depending on age and other factors, but less than 30 ml is a commonly cited threshold for normal prostate size in the context of surgical treatment for lower urinary tract symptoms 1.
From the Research
Prostate Gland Volume
The normal volume of the prostate gland can vary depending on age and other factors.
- According to a study published in 2011 2, the mean and median volume of the prostate gland in Ethiopian adults was 42cc and 35cc, respectively.
- Another study published in 2011 3 found that the mean total prostate volume in German men aged 50-80 years continuously increased from 24 to 38 cc.
- A study published in 1998 4 found that the average underestimation of prostate volume by digital rectal examination (DRE) was between 9% and 12% for prostate volumes 30 to 39 mL and between 17% and 27% for prostate volumes 40 to 49 mL.
- The study published in 2011 5 found that the peripheral zone of the prostate showed intermediate elasticity in 100% of cases, regardless of the volume.
Age-Related Changes
- The study published in 2011 2 found that the volume of the prostate progressively increases with age, with a peak volume seen in the seventh decade of life.
- The study published in 2011 3 found that mean total prostate volume continuously increased from 24 to 38 cc in men aged 50-80 years.
- The study published in 2011 5 found that the transition zone of the prostate showed changes in elasticity with increasing gland volume, with a more elastic appearance in smaller glands and a more inelastic appearance in larger glands.
Measurement Accuracy
- A systematic review published in 2019 6 found that imaging methods such as ultrasound, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can accurately measure prostate gland volume, with MRI being slightly more accurate than the other methods.
- The review found that the reported correlations between imaging measurements and reference volume measurements were moderate to high in strength, indicating that imaging is sufficiently accurate when quantitative measurements of prostate gland volume are required.