Digital rectal examination(DRE)

An examination of the prostate through the back passage (rectum) is called a digital rectal examination. The doctor places a gloved finger into your rectum and feels the prostate through the rectum wall. If your doctor feels anything suspicious, such as an enlarged prostate or an odd shape, a biopsy may be arranged.

How Prostate Cancer Is Diagnosed

If your doctor thinks you have prostate cancer, a number of tests can be done to find out for certain. These tests will also check the size of the cancer and find out if it has spread. You may have some or all of the following tests:

• Biopsy
• Bone scan
• Blood Test (PSA)
• Staging the disease
• Digital rectal examination(DRE)
• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
• Transrectal Ultrasound (TRANZ-REK)
• X-ray and Intravenous pyelogram (IVP)
• Computerised tomography (CT) scan