A 55-year-old male patient has an abnormal digital rectal examination (DRE) with a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) level of 18 ng/mL. The nurse realizes that this patient might be scheduled next for which of the following?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Since the patient has an abnormal DRE and a high PSA level, the next step would be to perform a transrectal ultrasonography (TRUS) to assess for any abnormalities of the prostate gland. A bone scan or imaging of the spine would only be necessary if there was suspicion of metastatic disease, which is not indicated yet based on the patient's presentation. An MRI may be ordered in certain cases to further assess prostate pathology but would not be the next step in this case.

A 55-Year-Old Male Patient Has an Abnormal Digital Rectal Examination