How is blood in semen diagnosed?

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How is blood in semen diagnosed?

Initial evaluation

Your healthcare provider will:

  • Take a full medical history, including asking questions about your current symptoms, when you first noticed the blood, how often you’ve seen blood in your semen, and your sexual activities/practices. You will also be asked about medications you take, if you’ve had any recent medical procedures, have any bleeding disorders, or have any symptoms of a urinary tract infection.
  • Conduct a physical exam to check for lumps, swelling, redness or discharge from your genitals.
  • Perform a rectal exam to check the prostate for swelling, tenderness or a lump.
  • Check your blood pressure.

Diagnostic tests

Your healthcare provider may order one or more of these tests:

  • Urine culture to check for infections or abnormalities.
  • STD test to detect any sexually-transmitted disease.
  • Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) test to check for prostate cancer.

Specialized tests

The results of your exam and tests may not show the cause of blood in your semen. Your provider may refer you to a urologist (a doctor who specializes in the urinary tract and male reproductive organs) if your initial evaluation and urinalysis are not normal or if blood in your semen in present for longer than a month. Your urologist may order some or all of the following tests:

  • Transrectal ultrasound to diagnosis prostate problems including cysts, calculi, varices, inflammatory changes.
  • Computed tomography (CT-scan) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

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