Patient time for test 5-10 minutes. Before the test Purpose of test Early detection of prostate cancer. Commercial laboratory, hospital, doctor's office. Lab technician, nurse, or doctor. Risks and precautions None.
Discomfort disappears when the test is finished.
Equipment used Latex glove, lubricant. The patient will lie on an examination table, either on the back or side with the knees drawn up. The technician, nurse or doctor, will then insert a gloved, lubricated finger into the rectum and feel the prostate for hard or lumpy areas. The test takes a few minutes to complete. The patient will get dressed and wait for the doctor to return and discuss test results.