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Prostatitis > Tests

Because prostatitis is often the result of a bacterial infection, your doctor will usually want to check a sample of your urine and prostatic secretions for bacteria (the sample will be sent to the laboratory for analysis, so you will not get the results straight away).

Obtaining a sample of prostatic secretions

You will be asked to pass urine and provide a sample.   Your prostate will then be massaged so that secretions are released, which will be collected from the urethra into a sterile pot.   Although this process is unquestionably a little uncomfortable, it is not actually painful.   Finally, a second urine sample will be collected.   If there is a bacterial infection, bacteria can be grown up in the laboratory from cultures of the prostatic secretions and the second urine sample.   This method also allows the specific type of bacteria responsible to be identified, and an appropriate antibiotic to be prescribed.

Prostatic Massage.   The patient is asked to pass urine and a specimen is taken for culture.   The patient is then massaged and any secretions produced are also sent to the laboratory.   Finally, a further urine sample is collected that also contains fluid expressed from the prostate.

Other tests

Depending on your symptoms, your doctor may also check that you do not have BPH or prostate cancer.   Remember that prostatitis, particularly when the inflammation is severe, may sometimes cause a temporary increase in blood PSA level.   Prostatitis can also cause blood flow in the prostate to become increased, and this can show up when a transrectal ultrasound study of the prostate is performed using what is known as a colour Doppler probe.   If a prostatic abscess is suspected, a CT scan may be arranged to confirm or exclude a collection of pus in the prostate.

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