Are there tests to determine if my cancer has metastasized?

To determine if your cancer has spread to other parts of your body your doctor may recommend the following:

• A pelvic CT scan
• MRI scan
• Bone scan

Not all men with prostate cancer need to undergo imaging tests as the risk of spread to other organs can be estimated by PSA levels and cancer grade. It is also standard to omit the bone scan in patients for the following reasons:

• Newly diagnosed, untreated prostate cancer,
• Patients who have no symptoms from their cancer,
• Gleason score of less than 7 and have serum PSA concentrations less than 10 ng/ml
• PSA concentrations less than 15 ng/ml (unless the Gleason score is 7 or higher)

A pelvic CT scan or MRI may not be necessary in men with lower grade cancers, cancers still confined to the prostate, and serum PSA values less than 10 ng/ml.