Prostate and Elevated PSA
The Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, Health Services Branch, confirms that an MRI exam of the prostate for patients with elevated PSA levels - even without a prior biopsy - is eligible for third-party (private-pay) coverage.
Prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in Canadian men (excluding non-melanoma skin cancers) and remains a significant cause of cancer mortality.
- In 2023, approximately 25,900 men in Canada were diagnosed with prostate cancer.
- That same year, about 4,900 men died from the disease.
- Lifetime risk estimates suggest that 1 in 8 Canadian men will develop prostate cancer, while 1 in 30 men will die from it.
- In 2024, prostate cancer is projected to represent about 22% of all new cancer cases in men, with 27,900 new diagnoses expected.
- Also in 2024, 5,000 prostate cancer deaths are projected in Canada.
Explanation of Multiparametric MRI
Multiparametric MRI uses several different MRI sequences, each showing different features of the prostate. While a standard MRI can detect a tumour, multiparametric MRI provides more detail about:
- the location of a tumour
- how aggressive it may be
- whether it has spread outside the prostate
This enhanced detail helps:
- doctors better target areas during a prostate biopsy
- physicians decide which men need immediate treatment vs. those who may be best served by active surveillance