Urological screening examinations and health check-ups
Urological diseases, especially malignant diseases, remain undetected for a long time. If they are detected in good time, however, the chances of a cure are very good. Considering that 3 of the 6 most common malignant tumours in men are urological tumours (prostate, bladder, kidney), the value of a urological early detection examination is clear. During the screening examination, the prostate, bladder and kidneys are therefore examined in men. In women, the urinary bladder and the kidneys are examined.
What does the urological preventive check-up include?
The urological preventive check-up includes: a careful review of the medical history and any risk factors, the clinical examination, the digital rectal examination (DRE), determination of the urologically relevant blood values including PSA, a bladder tumour screening test in the urine, and ultrasound examination of the kidneys, urinary bladder and prostate (TRUS).
Prostate
The prostate can begin to enlarge from the age of 30. Symptoms requiring treatment as a result of benign prostatic enlargement occur in approximately one third of all men over the age of 50. The enlargement of the prostate is not always benign. Prostate screening can clarify whether the enlargement of the prostate is benign or malignant. If prostate cancer is detected in good time, gentle treatment is now possible in many cases thanks to the robot-assisted da Vinci surgical technique.
Questions about prostate screening:
Typical symptoms of an enlarged prostate are: a weakening of the urine stream, a frequent urge to urinate, urination at night, the feeling of not being able to empty the bladder completely, a feeling of pressure in the perineal area and possibly also pain in the kidney area.
Prostate screening is recommended from the age of 45. If there is a family history of prostate carcinoma in a father or brother, screening is recommended from the age of 40.
The treatment of prostate enlargement depends on the patient's symptoms and the results of the urological examinations. If the symptoms are mild and bladder emptying is still good, herbal medicines can be considered. If the bladder is not emptied completely, drug treatment with a so-called alpha blocker is recommended. If the symptoms do not improve despite drug treatment or if complications of prostate enlargement occur, surgical treatment by reducing the size of the prostate or enucleating it is often recommended. This can be done, for example, by holmium laser enucleation or transurethral resection of the prostate.
An increase in the PSA value above the age-adjusted range or a continuous increase in the PSA value can indicate prostate carcinoma. However, there are also benign changes in the prostate that can lead to an increase in the PSA value. These include, for example, inflammation of the prostate. If the PSA value is elevated, a further urological examination is therefore urgently required first in order to rule out inflammatory changes in the prostate as the cause.
The treatment of malignant enlargement of the prostate depends on the age and health of the patient concerned, the degree of malignancy and any metastases of the prostate carcinoma. The range of treatments extends from active monitoring through robot-assisted da Vinci surgery to various drug treatment methods. The decision as to whether and how prostate carcinoma should be treated is complex and requires individual urological advice. In general, localised prostate carcinomas detected in good time can be treated more gently and with greater success.
If the screening examination reveals an abnormal finding, a prostate biopsy follows.
Info
The urological preventive check-up is billed as a self-pay service according to the official German scale of medical fees (GOÄ) and is reimbursed by private health insurance companies. The examination is always carried out by one of the urology specialists.
To make an appointment for a check-up, please call 0 72 31 / 41 99 20
VIDEO
Externer Inhalt von YouTube
Inhalt dieses Videos:
What the PSA value means
An elevated PSA value causes uncertainty for many men. This video explains how the PSA value is produced, what an elevated PSA value can mean and when there is reason for further diagnostics.
- Introduction: why the PSA value is so important
- What is prostate-specific antigen (PSA)?
- Free PSA, total PSA and PSA ratio explained
- Age-adjusted normal PSA values & PSA density
- Common sources of error: examination, sport, inflammation
- Interpreting PSA fluctuations correctly
- Which PSA trends are dangerous?
- How often should the PSA value be checked?
- PSA value and age: who benefits from screening?
- Overdiagnosis vs. overtreatment – what is really true?
About this page:
Author
Medical director of the Goldstadt-Privatklinik.
Specialist for Urology, Mini-PCNL and robot-assisted da Vinci procedures.
Member in Scientific Societies and Reviewer of scientific journals.
