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Private PSA & prostate check in London, interpreted by a consultant urologist.

A blood test with a proper conversation - modern prostate care starts with PSA (in context) and, where needed, prostate mpMRI before any biopsy is discussed. Interpreted by a consultant urologist.

A stethoscope on a clinical desk

Indicative pricing

What a private PSA and prostate check costs in London.

Indicative ranges across UK private providers and laboratories.

In short

£75-£150, with results in 24-48 hours.

Test or pathway Indicative range
PSA blood test only £75–£150
PSA + free PSA ratio £150–£300
PSA + urology consultation & DRE £350–£650
PSA + prostate mpMRI bundle £750–£1,400
Full men's prostate screen (PSA + testosterone + kidney) £220–£450
PHI (prostate health index) £250–£450

Prices vary by which assays are used, whether a consultant urologist consultation is included, whether prostate mpMRI is added, and how quickly you need results.

The problem

A PSA number, on its own, is not an answer.

Plenty of places will run a PSA and email you a value with a reference range. Knowing whether to reassure, repeat, image or refer - that is the part that matters. That is what a proper assessment provides.

  • Borderline PSA?

    Results are interpreted against age-adjusted ranges and, where useful, a free PSA ratio or PHI is added before biopsy is discussed.

  • Family history worry?

    A father or brother with prostate cancer changes the timing and cadence of screening, so a personal plan makes sense.

  • Symptoms and unsure?

    Urinary symptoms are usually benign - but worth a consultant urologist, not a Google search.

What it shows

When PSA and a prostate check are worth doing.

The prostate assessment answers very different questions depending on your age, symptoms and history. These are the common reasons people seek a check.

  • PSA baseline

    A first PSA from age 50 for average risk, or age 45 if you are Black or have a family history.

  • Age-related risk

    Prostate cancer risk rises steeply from the mid-fifties. Age-adjusted ranges matter more than a single number.

  • Family history & BRCA carriers

    A father or brother with prostate cancer - or a known BRCA1/2 mutation - warrants earlier and closer monitoring.

  • Urinary symptoms in men

    Weak stream, hesitancy, nocturia or frequency - usually benign enlargement, but worth checking properly.

  • Digital rectal exam (DRE)

    A brief examination in context - done after the PSA blood draw, not before, so the number is not falsely raised.

  • When mpMRI comes before biopsy

    NICE now recommends prostate mpMRI first, so any biopsy is targeted - not blind - and often avoided altogether.

  • Active surveillance

    For low-risk disease, careful monitoring with PSA and MRI often replaces immediate treatment.

  • Red flags

    Visible blood in the urine, new bone pain or unexplained weight loss - see a urologist urgently, not just for a PSA.

Pathways

What each option is actually for.

  • PSA test alone

    A single blood marker - cheap, quick, and only useful in context of age and history.

  • PSA + free PSA ratio

    Adds a second reading that helps distinguish benign enlargement from something needing further work-up.

  • PSA + PHI (Prostate Health Index)

    A three-marker calculation that refines the risk of significant cancer beyond PSA alone.

  • PSA + DRE

    PSA with a consultant urologist consultation and a brief physical examination for context.

  • PSA + prostate mpMRI (modern pathway)

    The NICE-endorsed pathway - imaging before any biopsy is even discussed.

  • Repeat / velocity monitoring

    A borderline PSA is often best rechecked in six to twelve weeks rather than acted on immediately.

  • Active-surveillance protocol

    For confirmed low-risk disease - scheduled PSA, MRI and consultant review, not immediate treatment.

  • Full men's health panel

    PSA alongside testosterone, kidney, liver, lipids and HbA1c for a fuller picture.

Preparation and practicalities

The 48 hours before matter as much as the test itself.

PSA is easily nudged up by things that have nothing to do with cancer. A little preparation gives a truer number - and avoids unnecessary worry.

  • Avoid sex or ejaculation for 48 hours

    Recent ejaculation can raise PSA. Abstaining for two days before the blood test gives a truer reading.

  • Avoid heavy exercise or cycling

    Vigorous exercise and cycling for 48 hours before the test can transiently raise PSA.

  • DRE can raise PSA - bloods first

    If a digital rectal exam is planned, the blood sample should be taken first so the number is not falsely elevated.

  • Recent UTI or catheter

    Urinary infection, prostatitis or a recent catheter can falsely raise PSA. Wait four to six weeks after treatment.

  • Age-adjusted reference ranges

    Normal PSA rises gently with age. Results are best interpreted against age-adjusted ranges, not a single arbitrary cut-off.

  • mpMRI before any biopsy

    NICE now recommends a multi-parametric MRI before biopsy is considered. Biopsy is not the first step.

  • Informed screening only

    PSA screening carries a real risk of over-diagnosis. Screening should only follow a proper conversation about the trade-offs.

  • Repeat before you react

    A single slightly-raised PSA usually warrants a repeat in six to twelve weeks - not immediate biopsy.

  • Over-70 screening is individualised

    Above age 70, the balance of benefit and harm shifts. Screening becomes a personal, not automatic, decision.

Reading your report

A PSA report can look intimidating. It isn’t.

However simple or complex the pathway, the report follows the same four parts.

A UK consultant urologist reviewing PSA and prostate MRI results

A quiet reminder

A single PSA is a snapshot - context, trend and imaging are what matter.

If you would like it talked through before your follow-up, ask your urologist or GP.

  1. 01 Header

    Your details and the reason for testing

    Your age, family history, symptoms and the question behind the test.

  2. 02 Technique

    Which assays, timing, DRE if done

    The PSA assay used, the time and preparation conditions, and whether a DRE was performed.

  3. 03 Findings

    Your results in context

    PSA value with the age-adjusted range, free PSA ratio if measured, and MRI PI-RADS score if imaging has been done.

  4. 04 Impression

    The conclusion: read this first

    Reassure, repeat, arrange MRI, or discuss biopsy - the clinician’s plain-English recommendation.

Recognised by major UK insurers

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Frequently asked

Common questions about PSA and prostate checks.

Quick answers on cost, timing, DRE, mpMRI, active surveillance and when to see a GP urgently.

  • What does a raised PSA actually mean - should I be worried?

    A raised PSA isn’t a cancer diagnosis on its own - the same number can mean benign enlargement, a recent infection, cycling, or even ejaculation in the previous 48 hours. That’s why any London urologist worth seeing repeats it, interprets it against your age and prostate volume, and only moves to MRI or biopsy when the trend and clinical picture justify it.

  • How much does a private PSA test cost in London?

    A PSA blood test alone is typically £75-£150. PSA with a consultant urologist consultation and DRE is £350-£650, and PSA with a prostate mpMRI bundle is £750-£1,400.

  • When should I start PSA testing?

    From age 50 for average-risk men, and from age 45 if you are Black or have a father or brother with prostate cancer. Screening above age 70 is individualised.

  • Does the DRE hurt?

    It is briefly uncomfortable rather than painful - a few seconds with a gloved, lubricated finger. Most men are surprised by how quick and unremarkable it is.

  • Should the PSA blood test be before or after the DRE?

    Always before. A DRE can transiently raise PSA, so the blood sample is taken first and the examination performed afterwards.

  • What causes a false-positive PSA?

    Recent ejaculation, vigorous cycling or exercise, urinary infection, prostatitis, a recent catheter, or a DRE done just before the blood test can all raise PSA without cancer being present.

  • Why is mpMRI now done before biopsy?

    NICE guideline NG131 recommends a multi-parametric MRI before biopsy, because it identifies the cases that actually need a biopsy - sparing many men an invasive procedure and making the biopsy itself more targeted when it does happen.

  • What is active surveillance and how does it differ from treatment?

    Active surveillance is a structured monitoring programme - PSA, MRI and consultant review - used for confirmed low-risk prostate cancer, where the cancer is unlikely to cause harm and treatment side-effects can be avoided.

  • Will my insurance cover a private PSA test?

    Cover varies. PSA is often covered when there is a clinical indication and pre-authorisation, but routine screening is usually self-funded.

  • When should I see a GP urgently rather than book a private PSA?

    Visible blood in the urine, new bone pain, unexplained weight loss, or urinary retention need urgent NHS assessment - not a private blood test.

Related tests

Looking for something else?

In practice, in London

Where PSA prostate check sits in a private London pathway

With PSA prostate check, the London question is usually about report turnaround and the radiologist reading it - not whether the scan is available. The NHS route for PSA prostate check is thorough, but the queue is real. Many patients are told to expect anywhere from a handful of weeks to several months, depending on their local trust and how the referral is graded. Going private in London usually collapses that window to a matter of days - often the same week if the diary allows. It isn’t about jumping a queue so much as buying time back while you still have the flexibility to plan around it.

In practice, a private PSA prostate check appointment in London means a named consultant, a proper hour in the room (or the equivalent on a video call), and a report you can actually read. Many of London’s private clinics sit around Harley Street, Chelsea and Fulham, and turnaround on findings is often measured in days, not weeks. For PSA prostate check specifically, the difference between a routine report and a sub-speciality read is where private care earns its keep.

The value is knowing which consultant reads this particular presentation best, which unit turns reports around fastest, and which pathway won’t hit a dead end if the findings point somewhere unexpected.