Enlarged prostate: Meaning in a Radiology Report

Also written as: benign prostatic hyperplasia, BPH, prostatomegaly, prostatic enlargement

An enlarged prostate is a prostate gland that is bigger than usual. It is very common with age and is usually benign (not cancer).

What it means

The prostate is a gland below the bladder that wraps around the urethra, the tube that carries urine out. With age, its inner part often grows. This non-cancerous change is called benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Reports give the size as a volume in milliliters, worked out from three measurements. A normal adult prostate is roughly 20 to 30 mL. Some reports note a middle lobe pushing up into the bladder.

When it matters

BPH is very common in older men. It is not cancer and does not turn into cancer, though both can be present at the same time. It matters when it squeezes the urethra, causing a weak stream, frequent urination at night or trouble emptying the bladder. Symptoms matter more than size. Prostate volume also helps doctors read a PSA blood test, since a larger gland makes more PSA.

Questions to ask your doctor

What is my prostate volume, and has it changed since earlier scans?
How much urine stays in my bladder after I go?
Does my prostate size change how my PSA result should be read?

General information, not medical advice. What a finding means for you depends on your symptoms, your history and the images themselves, so talk your results through with a doctor.