Additional Tests for Prostate Cancer

If the results of initial tests such as the Digital Rectal Exam (DRE) or the PSA suggest that prostate cancer is a possibility, your provider may recommend other tests to confirm the diagnosis. Those tests may include:

• Urinalysis
  Urinalysis tests for blood or nitrates in your urine. This test can help rule out a bacterial infection and provide other information.
   
• Transrectal Ultrasound
  A transrectal ultrasound involves the insertion of a probe slightly larger than a pen into the rectum. The probe emits high-frequency sound waves that are used to form an image of the prostate on a computer screen.
   
• Prostate Biopsy
  Your provider may recommend a biopsy to determine if cancer cells are present in your prostate. The most common type of biopsy is called an ultrasound-guided transrectal biopsy. During this procedure, a prostatic ultrasound is used to guide a thin needle through the rectum in order to gather tissue from the prostate for testing. In other cases, the needle can be inserted through the urethra or through the perineum, which is the area between the anus and scrotum. The tissue samples taken during the biopsy are closely examined under a microscope for cancer cells.
   
• Imaging Scans
  Magnetic Resonance Imaging, or MRI, and Computerized Tomography, or CT scans, are tests that use computers to create three-dimensional or cross-sectional images of the prostate gland. These tests can help identify abnormal structures, but they cannot recognize the difference between malignant tumors and benign prostate enlargement, or BPH. These tests are rarely used in the diagnosis of prostate cancer, but may be used if advanced disease is suspected.

These and other tests are used to help your provider determine whether prostate cancer is present, and to ascertain the stage of that cancer. This information is crucial in designing the appropriate treatment plan for your condition.