Prostate MRI
Send your PSA result and we arrange the right scan. No GP referral needed, at all four centres.
Prime Health offers prostate MRI without a GP referral at all four centres, for men aged 40 to 79. Send your PSA result with your booking and we arrange the right scan for your age and PSA level: a biparametric MRI where your PSA is below the threshold for your age, or a multiparametric MRI where it is raised. Reported by specialist radiologists within a short turnaround.
Which scan will I have?
The threshold for a raised PSA depends on your age. Enter your age and your PSA result and we will show which scan the pathway would arrange.
Enter your age and PSA to see which scan applies.
A guide only, triage can differ case by case, and our clinical team confirms the right scan for you when you book. Multiparametric MRI is not available at Brighton. A markedly raised PSA may need a urology opinion rather than a scan booked online, so please call us first if your result is well above the threshold for your age. Finasteride and dutasteride lower PSA, so for triage your result is doubled.
| Age | Raised PSA is above |
|---|---|
| 40 to 49 | 2.5 |
| 50 to 59 | 3.5 |
| 60 to 69 | 4.5 |
| 70 to 79 | 6.5 |
Below the threshold for your age: biparametric MRI. Above it: multiparametric MRI. Under 40 or over 79, call us and we will advise the right route. Multiparametric MRI is not available at Brighton, so if your PSA is raised we will arrange that scan at one of our other centres.
Who the pathway is for
Men aged 40 to 79, with or without symptoms. You can refer yourself, or come through a GP or consultant referral. The service is self-pay: it is not available through private medical insurance.
When we cannot scan you straight away
- You have been treated for a urinary tract infection or a prostate infection in the last 6 weeks, which can affect a PSA result.
- You are under 40 or over 79. Call us and we will advise the right route.
- You cannot pass through the scanner safely, for example because of certain implants. Our team checks this with you before booking.
- Your kidney function does not meet the safety thresholds for contrast, where a multiparametric scan is needed.
- You are not well enough to manage the scan comfortably. Our clinical team will talk this through with you.
Two scans, one decision made for you
A biparametric MRI is a focused examination of the prostate that does not need a contrast injection. If it cannot give a clear answer, we upgrade you to a multiparametric scan at no extra charge. A multiparametric MRI examines the prostate in several ways, including with contrast, and grades how likely a clinically significant cancer is.
If something needs acting on quickly
Where clinically appropriate, we can support urgent onward referral and securely transfer your imaging to the receiving healthcare provider, so nothing is repeated and no time is lost.
Prices for prostate MRI at each centre are on the centre pages: see all centres. Or call us on 0330 025 2100.
The prostate pathway explained
A short walk-through, from your PSA to the right scan and a specialist plan.