Overview

Tests and procedures to diagnose prostate cancer may include:

  • Blood tests. Blood tests can measure the level of prostate-specific antigen in the blood. Also called PSA, this chemical is made in the prostate. Sometimes prostate cancer causes the prostate to make extra PSA. Having a higher than expected level of PSA in the blood may be a sign of prostate cancer.
  • Imaging tests. Imaging tests take pictures that show the inside of the body. Tests for prostate cancer may include MRI, CT, bone scans and positron emission tomography scans, also called PET scans.
  • Removing a sample of tissue for testing, also called a biopsy. A biopsy is a procedure to remove a small sample of tissue for testing in a lab. A health professional might remove the sample using a needle that is put through the skin and into the cancer. Sometimes surgery is needed to get the tissue sample. The sample is sent to a lab for testing.

    In the lab, the sample is tested to see if it is cancer. Other specialized tests can show what DNA changes are present in the cancer cells. The results help your health care team create your treatment plan.

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