Tests and diagnosis for enlarged prostate are well-defined medical procedures.

Once you have noticed the symptoms, should you have any, tests and diagnosis for enlarged prostate will likely follow when your doctor has confirmation of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).  Tests and diagnosis for enlarged prostate will provide your doctor with a roadmap of future decisions to be made should confirmation of BPH be made or not confirmed.

The Diagnostics for Enlarged Prostate. Not all cases of enlarged prostate will manifest symptoms.  And there is no scientifically validated correlation between the overall size enlargement of the gland with severity of symptoms.  There are documented cases where size is inversely correlated to severity of symptoms.  Clearing up these kinds of mysteries are under the purview of an urologist.  Urologists have a wide ranging focus of research specialties backing their specific practical areas, including the tracts involving urinary and male reproductive systems.

Urologists will rely on several different test procedures to make a basic determination between surgical and non-surgical treatment modalities for the case results.  The most common diagnostic procedures include:

• Rectal Exam

• Prostate Specific Antigen survey

• Rectal ultrasound test

• Urine flow test

• Cystic Scope Examination

Rectal Exam. Of all the tests and diagnosis for enlarged prostates undertaken, the DRE is the primary on used most frequently in the lead position by urologists. The rectal exam is a standard part of a male’s annual check-up routine.  The doctor performs this simple exam using a sterile glove covering a single finger which is inserted into the patient’s rectum.  The finger locates the prostate’s upper region in relative proximity to the rectal opening or anus.  The proximity gives an estimate of  how large the prostate is and its general condition.  An appropriate distance indicates overall good prostate health and indicates no further tests are required.

Prostate-Specific Antigen  Test . The PSA test can be conducted as part of a routine blood panel workup by the associated laboratory with your medical provider’s facility.  The test measures protein levels in glandular cells.  Should PSA levels be elevated, there is a high correlation with prostate cancer.  Further diagnostics will be ordered if elevated PSA levels are detected before an informed diagnostic decision can be made as to whether the prostate is in fact in a cancerous condition.

Medical Diagnosis of Prostate Malignancy.The federal government’s medical regulating agency, the FDA, declares that a PSA test plus a standard rectal exam finding is valid for detecting prostate malignancy in men of ages 50 and older.  It has also been declared to be an adequate diagnostic monitor for post-cancer treatment patients.  Further research is needed to shore up interpretation methodology for deciphering PSA level readings.  There is still uncertainty over the PSA test level of refined discernment for distinguishing between a malignant and benign prostatic enlargement condition.  Doctors are still pursuing broad courses of remedial strategies for treatment after receiving an elevated PSA result.

Other Tests Have Pre-Surgical Utility. The remaining test and diagnosis options for enlarged prostate are focused mainly on the size of the prostate without making any determinations regarding malignancy.  To date, the FDA ruling on PSA plus digital rectal exam as suitable for malignancy diagnostics is the only combination referred to as such.  The other tests noted in this article can be beneficial for urologists to determine shape and glandular size for pre-surgical intelligence.