Prostate Screening and Scans

ScanAssure Prostate Screening Webpage

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer in men.

It will affect about 1 in 8 men during their life. Yet Prostate cancer is the only major cancer without a mass screening programme.

While prostate cancer is highly treatable when caught early, there are still 12,200 new deaths a year from prostate cancer. That’s just over 1 per hour.

• Family history: While prostate cancer can develop in men without a family history, men with a father, brother, or close male relative with prostate cancer may be more likely to develop the disease.
• Age: Age may be a risk factor for prostate cancer. While it’s rare under the age of 40, it is more common over the age of 50, and in 60 percent of cases, it occurs beyond age 65.
• Race and ethnicity: Black and white men may have a higher risk of prostate cancer, while it is less common in Hispanic and Asian men.

Prostate Tests/Investigation

An ultrasound scan of the bladder and prostate is a simple, quick and painless imaging test used to assess the size, shape and appearance of the prostate gland and bladder.

It uses safe, high-frequency sound waves—not radiation—to create real-time images of the internal structures. This makes it an ideal first-line investigation for men experiencing urinary symptoms or wanting reassurance about prostate health.

During the scan, a small handheld probe (transducer) is moved gently over the lower abdomen. This allows the clinician to visualise the bladder, measure the prostate, and check how well the bladder empties after urination. The entire process typically takes 10–15 minutes.

Ultrasound is preferred early in the assessment of prostate issues because it is:

• Quick and highly accurate for detecting prostate enlargement (BPH)
• Excellent at identifying bladder outlet obstruction
• Able to detect incomplete bladder emptying, which is a key symptom of prostate problems
• Useful for monitoring long-term prostate changes
• Safer and more comfortable than many alternative tests

For many men, ultrasound provides reassurance and early detection without the need for invasive procedures.

To ensure the highest-quality images:

• Arrive with a comfortably full bladder — you’ll be asked to drink water beforehand
• Wear loose, comfortable clothing
• You may be asked to empty your bladder partway through, so the sonographer can measure your post-void residual (how much urine remains after urinating)
• No fasting is required, and you can continue taking medications as normal

This preparation helps assess both bladder capacity and emptying function, which are key indicators of prostate enlargement or obstruction.

• Non-invasive — no needles, scopes, or internal examinations
• No radiation — safe for repeated use
• Instant results — findings are available immediately after the scan
• Painless and low-stress — performed over the skin
• Widely accessible and cost-effective
• Can identify early signs of prostate enlargement, bladder obstruction, or urinary retention

These advantages make ultrasound an ideal starting point for evaluating prostate-related urinary symptoms.

• During your scan, you can expect:
• A brief explanation of the procedure
• Ultrasound gel applied to the lower abdomen
• The probe moved gently across the area to obtain images
• Measurements of:
• Prostate size and volume
• Bladder wall thickness
• Residual urine after voiding
• A clear summary of findings immediately after the scan including a detailed written report.

The procedure is completely external, requires no special recovery, and you can resume normal activities straight away.

The prostate is a gland. It is usually the size and shape of a walnut and grows bigger as you get older. It sits underneath the bladder and surrounds the urethra, which is the tube that carries urine (wee) out of the body. The prostate’s main job is to help make semen – the fluid that carries sperm.
The most common prostate problems are an enlarged prostate, prostatitis and prostate cancer.

Prostate cancer can develop when cells in the prostate start to grow in an uncontrolled way.

Some prostate cancer grows too slowly to cause any problems or affect how long you live. Because of this, many men with prostate cancer will never need any treatment.

But some prostate cancer grows quickly and is more likely to spread. This is more likely to cause problems and needs treatment to stop it spreading.

Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that affects the prostate. The prostate is an organ that’s located below the bladder and in front of the rectum in males. The prostate serves a variety of functions, including making fluids that nourish and transport semen, facilitating urine control, and secreting a protein called prostate-specific antigen (PSA) that allows semen to stay in a liquid form

Caught in its early stages, prostate cancer is usually treatable with a high recovery rate. However, the chances of recovery become increasingly difficult as the diseases progress.
Stages of prostate cancer include (4):

Stage 0
At this stage, there are precancerous cells in the prostate gland, but they are slow-growing and only affect a small area.

Stage I
At stage 1, prostate cancer is localized. It can only be found in the prostate gland. It still only affects a smaller area or part of the prostate. It can be treated effectively at this stage.

Stage II
At this point, cancer is only found in the prostate with low to medium PSA levels. The cancer is relatively small with a risk of spreading and growing. 

Stage III
At this stage, the cancer is regional. It is growing and spreading. PSA levels are high.

Stage IV
The cancer is distant. It has spread to other organs, even beyond nearby structures.

What is the PSA blood test?

The PSA test is a blood test that measures the amount of prostate specific antigen (PSA) in your blood. PSA is a protein produced by normal cells in the prostate and also by prostate cancer cells. It’s normal to have a small amount of PSA in your blood, and the amount rises slightly as you get older and your prostate gets bigger. A raised PSA level may suggest you have a problem with your prostate, but not necessarily cancer.

What does the PSA blood test involve?

A sample of your blood is taken and sent to a laboratory to be tested. The amount of PSA in your blood is measured in nanograms (a billionth of a gram) per millilitre of blood (ng/ml). You can eat and drink as normal before having a PSA test.

Results will be returned within 5 days

For many men, normal PSA levels are usually less than 3ng/ml. But this will vary from person to person and depends on a lot of things including:

• your age
• your general health
• if you have any urinary symptoms
• if you are on any medication.

Prostate problems, such as an enlarged prostate, prostatitis or prostate cancer, can cause your PSA level to rise – but lots of other things can affect your PSA level too, including the following.

• A urine infection – You may have a test for a urine infection as this can raise your PSA level. If you have an infection, you’ll be given treatment for it. You’ll need to wait until the infection has gone – around six weeks – before you have a PSA test
• Vigorous exercise – Activities that raise your heart rate like cycling may raise your PSA level for a few days. So it’s a good idea to avoid vigorous exercise for 48 hours before the blood test.
• Ejaculation – You should avoid any sexual activity that leads to ejaculation in the 48 hours before a PSA blood test.
• Anal sex and prostate stimulation – Receiving anal sex, or having your prostate stimulated during sex, might raise your PSA level for a while. You should avoid this for a week before a PSA test.
• Prostate biopsy – If you’ve had a biopsy in the six weeks before a PSA test, this could raise your PSA level.
• Medicines – Let your GP or practice nurse know if you’re taking any prescription or over-the-counter medicines, as some might affect your PSA level. For example, some medicines used to treat an enlarged prostate, known as 5-alpha-reductase inhibitors such as finasteride (Proscar®) or dutasteride (Avodart®), can reduce your PSA level and give a false test result.
• Other tests or surgery – If you’ve had any tests or surgery on your bladder or prostate, you may need to wait up to six weeks before having a PSA test.
• Urinary catheters – If you have a catheter to drain urine from your bladder, you may need to wait up to six weeks after it has been put in before having a PSA test.

What will the test results tell me?

Lots of things can cause a raised PSA level, including the following prostate problems:

• an enlarged prostate
• prostatitis
• prostate cancer

So a PSA test alone can’t usually tell you if you have prostate cancer. Along with a Ultrasound and bladder scan it is the first step in deciding if you need more tests, including an a Digital rectal examination (DRE) and MRI scan.

If the findings from our investigations (ultrasound +/- PSA test) indicate you may require further investigations, the report you will be provided with from ScanAssure can be sent directly to your doctor advising them that further assessment are required. Likewise we can also arrange these (DRE) and MRI scan, directly for you)

Prostate cancer does not always need treatment.

If the cancer has not spread, your care team may suggest monitoring your cancer to see if it is growing or not.

When they know how the cancer is behaving, they can decide what treatment is best for you.

Treatments for prostate cancer include surgery, radiotherapy and hormone therapy. If the cancer has spread, you may need chemotherapy.

A specialist care team will look after you during your treatment. If you have any concerns, speak to them. You do not need to wait for your next check-up.

You’ll have regular check-ups during and after any treatments. You may also have tests and scans.

If your cancer is small and not causing any symptoms, it may just be monitored at first.

This is because prostate cancer often grows slowly and may never cause problems. Treatments for prostate cancer can also cause side effects, which can be serious and long-lasting.

If your care team recommends monitoring your cancer, they may suggest either:

• having regular check-ups and blood tests at your GP surgery (called watchful waiting)
• having regular tests and scans in hospital (called active surveillance)

If the cancer grows or starts to cause symptoms, your care team will talk to you about your treatment options.