Prostate Biopsy

A prostate biopsy takes small tissue samples from the prostate so they can be examined under a microscope. It is the step that answers what a rising PSA reading or an abnormal exam actually means, rather than leaving it to be watched indefinitely.

What to expect

Ultrasound guided — an ultrasound probe maps the prostate so the samples come from the right places.
Local anesthetic — the area is numbed first, and the sampling itself takes about fifteen minutes.
Pathology results — the samples go to the laboratory, and the findings are reviewed with you at a follow-up visit.

Antibiotics are given around the procedure, and light bleeding for a few days afterwards is expected. A raised PSA has several possible causes; a biopsy is how the benign ones are ruled out with certainty.