Prostate and Urinary Symptoms: When Imaging Matters
Prostate and Urinary Symptoms: When Imaging Matters
Key points
- Scale of Men’s Health: 300,000 Australian men live with prostate cancer; one million are at higher risk.
- 2026 Guidelines: Implement the latest risk-based PSA testing recommendations for men aged 45 and over.
- Evidence-Based Pathways: Access our clinician-reviewed LUTS flowchart and imaging selector for accurate, timely referrals.
- Practical Referral Tips: Include exact PSA trends and detailed histories to ensure the right scan first time.
- Community Support: This November, I-MED is proudly donating to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia.
Navigating the 2026 Guidelines for Prostate Cancer and LUTS
Lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) are a frequent presentation in general practice. While the majority of cases are benign, around 300,000 Australian men are currently living after a prostate cancer diagnosis, where new or changing urinary symptoms may reflect treatment side effects or disease recurrence. Furthermore, recent national surveys highlight that one million Australian men are at higher risk of developing prostate cancer.
General Practitioners play a central, indispensable role across the entire continuum of care - from investigating initial urinary symptoms and conducting PSA monitoring, to supporting patients on active surveillance and recognising when specialist review or targeted imaging will change patient management.
In alignment with the 2026 NHMRC-approved clinical guidelines, a clearer, risk-based approach to early detection is now recommended:
- Men aged 50–69: GPs should initiate an informed discussion about regular PSA testing.
- Men aged 45+ at higher risk: Initiate discussions earlier for patients with a strong family history or elevated risk profile.
- Symptomatic presentations: Consider PSA testing in men presenting with LUTS, erectile dysfunction, or visible haematuria.
When you need answers for your patients, choosing the right imaging modality at the right time is critical.
Inside the Guide: Practical Pathways for Primary Care
Clinically reviewed by I-MED Radiologist Associate Professor Bao (Sonny) Ho (MBBS, FRANZCR), our new Imaging and Referral Guide for GPs: Prostate and Urinary Symptoms is designed to be a fast, practical desk reference for your daily practice.
Adapted from the latest Diagnostic Imaging Pathways, the guide translates complex clinical scenarios into actionable next steps:
- At-a-Glance Imaging & Referral Selector: Quickly differentiate between clinical situations - ranging from elevated PSA prior to diagnosis and active surveillance, to rising PSA post-treatment (biochemical recurrence), radiation side effects, and suspected bone metastases.
- Visual LUTS Imaging Pathway: A clear, step-by-step diagnostic flowchart covering uncomplicated vs. complicated infections, neurological causes, urethral or prostate obstruction, urolithiasis, and suspicion of bladder or prostate malignancy.
- Selecting Advanced Modalities: Understand when a foundational Renal Tract Ultrasound with post-void residual is sufficient, and when specialist-directed multiparametric MRI (mpMRI), CT Urography, Bone Densitometry (DXA) for patients starting longer-term ADT, or PSMA PET/CT is indicated.
Getting the Answers That Matter, First Time
As your partner of choice in diagnostic imaging, our goal is to help you achieve timely, accurate diagnoses without unnecessary delays. Complete clinical detail on your referral empowers our sub-specialty radiologists to select the optimal modality and protocol the very first time.
Our downloadable guide includes a dedicated "What to Include on the Referral" checklist, highlighting why specific details transform report accuracy:
- Detailed Treatment History: Specifying surgery, radiation, focal therapy, or ADT with exact dates (rather than simply noting "Post-RP").
- PSA Velocity and Trends: Listing sequential values and dates (e.g., 0.09 → 0.16 → 0.24 ng/mL over 9 months) rather than "PSA rising".
- The Exact Clinical Question: Clarifying "Local recurrence?" versus "Whole-body staging?" or "Fracture vs. metastasis?" to directly determine the protocol.
- Safety & Medicare Requirements: Flagging implants, eGFR, contrast allergies, and navigating specialist-request requirements for Medicare-funded prostate mpMRI and PSMA PET/CT.
Partnering for Men’s Health: Supporting the PCFA This November
At I-MED Radiology Network, our commitment to men’s health extends beyond the reporting room and into the communities we serve.
Throughout November, in recognition of Men’s Health Awareness Month, I-MED is proudly donating to the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia (PCFA). Our contribution directly supports the PCFA’s vital work in funding life-saving clinical research, raising community awareness, and providing specialist nursing and support services to Australian men and their families navigating a prostate cancer diagnosis.
By partnering with GPs on the frontline of primary care and backing the organisations that support patients through survivorship, we are working together to improve outcomes for men across Australia.
When you need answers, trust Australia’s leading radiology network.
With an extensive network of clinics offering state-of-the-art Ultrasound, CT, MRI, DXA, and Nuclear Medicine / PSMA PET services, I-MED provides comprehensive care with uncompromising quality.