MYTHBUSTERS: Prostate Cancer Screening
MYTH: All prostate cancers require treatment
REALITY: Some prostate cancers are slow-growing and do not require treatment. Active surveillance to monitor the progression of cancer over time may be your doctor’s preferred course of action. Prostate cancer screening using prostate MRI can often distinguish between aggressive cancers and insignificant cancers that are not life-threatening. Additionally, the test can be used over time to monitor the prostate.
MYTH: The PSA test is inaccurate and can cause more harm than good
REALITY: The PSA (prostate-specific antigen) test may be an important first step in identifying cancer. However, an elevated PSA test doesn’t necessarily mean you have cancer. It can also be a sign of enlarged prostate or a prostate infection. While that can lead to further testing, it’s important to know what is causing your elevated PSA levels.
MYTH: If your PSA levels are over 3 ng/ml, you should have a prostate biopsy.
REALITY: Increasingly, research has shown that there could be a risk of cancer for patients with PSA levels between 0 and 3 ng/ml, so it’s important to consult with your doctor about your risk. Also, consider having a prostate MRI before having an invasive biopsy. Prostate MRI can detect (or rule out) the presence of cancer. It can help you avoid an unnecessary biopsy, or if cancer is found, it can help ensure that the biopsy accurately samples the correct area of the prostate.
MYTH: The 12-core prostate biopsy will detect cancer if it is present
REALITY: The transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) biopsy can miss 30% or more of clinically significant cancers. This is partly because it relies on blind sampling of the prostate gland. However, when a urologist uses a prostate MRI to perform what is known as a “fusion” biopsy, the detection rate is significantly improved.
MYTH: Prostate MRI isn’t covered by insurance
REALITY: Insurance coverage varies, but generally, prostate MRI is covered by several insurance plans and Medicare so long as it is deemed medically necessary. This means that elevated PSA levels or an abnormal digital rectal exam are required to justify insurance coverage for the test.
MYTH: A prostate MRI exposes you to radiation
REALITY: There is no radiation exposure with prostate MRI. All MRI examinations use strong magnetic fields and radio waves to safely create images without ionizing radiation.
MYTH: Open and Closed MRI machines are equally effective for prostate MRI
REALITY: Closed MRI machines typically have higher field strength than open MRI machines and are therefore more accurate at detecting cancer. However, the new generation of high field strength MRI systems have larger openings that are easier for anxious patients to tolerate.
MYTH: All imaging centers that perform prostate MRI are the same
REALITY: There are significant differences between the equipment used at imaging centers, and the training of the radiologists who interpret the prostate MRI results. RMI has the only outpatient imaging centers accredited by the American College of Radiology for prostate MRI. Our doctors have been specially trained in performing and interpreting prostate MRI examinations and are among the most experienced professionals in the state. In addition, we have invested in the equipment and software to not only ensure accurate testing but also to integrate with systems used by your urologist to enable them to perform fusion biopsies.
