Authors: Karam Al-Bayati BSc, BSc (Pharm)
Correctly diagnosing prostatitis or prostate cancer can be particularly difficult even for the most experienced clinician, especially in the case of recurrent prostate cancer. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA), which is not typ- ically ordered in the initial assessment of prostatitis, lacks specificity and is mostly used as a general screening tool. However, there are multiple imaging techniques in the radiologist’s armamentarium that can aid in differen- tiating the two conditions. This review article aims to outline the current diagnostic guidelines for prostatitis and prostate cancer, highlight the imaging features which differentiate the two conditions, and perform a cost-benefit analysis of using advanced imaging techniques in prostate cancer screening.
Keywords: prostatitis, prostate cancer, PSMA PET, MRI, PI-RADS