Diagnostic Tests

Diagnostic Tests

International Prostate Symptoms Score

An indexing tool called the International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS) can help evaluate the key lower urinary tract symptoms. As opposed to laboratory tests or other objective tests, this scoring system measures the patient's own experience. The higher the score, the more severe the conditions. It is useful for many reasons:

• The patient's score on this test gives a highly accurate assessment of the effect of lower urinary tract symptoms on the quality of a man's life.
• It is a reasonable basis from which the patient and doctor can discuss treatment options.
• The index is also often used to gauge treatment outcomes and may be a better indicator of success than objective tests, such as the measurement of the prostate gland or the rate of urine flow.

Limitations. The IPSS is useful only as a measure of symptom severity, and has the following limitations:

• Other conditions can produce similar scores, so the test is not used as a diagnostic tool for BPH.
• The index does not include other urinary symptoms, such as dribbling and incontinence or sexual health, that are important for quality of life. At the very least, the patient should have a frank discussion with his doctor if such symptoms are present and affect his life.
• It also does not reflect regional or ethnic differences that can vary the responses to these symptoms.