What is the definitive diagnostic procedure for confirming prostate cancer?

The definitive diagnostic procedure for confirming prostate cancer is an ultrasound guided transrectal biopsy. This procedure directly samples tissue from the prostate gland, allowing for histopathological examination. During the biopsy, ultrasound imaging is used to guide the needle precisely to the area of concern in the prostate, enhancing the accuracy of tissue sampling.

Prostate cancer often requires a tissue diagnosis to confirm its presence, as no imaging or blood tests can definitively diagnose cancer. Other methods like transabdominal ultrasound, free PSA tests, and CT scans may indicate the likelihood of prostate cancer or contribute to the assessment, but they do not provide definitive confirmation. The transrectal biopsy remains the standard approach to obtaining a cellular diagnosis, which is essential for determining the presence and extent of prostate cancer. This is why it is considered the gold standard in prostate cancer diagnostics.