PI-RADS
Read Your Scan Editorial Team·Last updated
Written from published radiology references and reviewed for plain language. Not written or signed by a physician, and not a diagnosis. How we write these pages →
In plain language
A 1-to-5 scale used on prostate MRI to say how likely an area is to be clinically significant cancer. The score describes the appearance of an area on the images and is one input into the biopsy decision, not the decision itself.
Where you’ll see this
The impression of a multiparametric prostate MRI report.
Your report may word it “PIRADS” or “Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System”. These mean the same thing.
Questions worth asking your doctor
- What category did I get, and what does that category normally lead to?
- What is the recommended next step for this category — waiting, another scan, or a biopsy?
- Who decides the timing, and what should I do if my symptoms change before then?
Standard scoring systems
See this word on your own scan
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Read Your Scan is informational only — not a medical diagnosis, and not a substitute for a licensed radiologist or your doctor. If you have urgent symptoms, seek care.