With everything on your plate, you may be tempted to delay your annual mammogram, put off that colonoscopy or let your skin test wait. Make the year you put your health at the top of the priority list, and you can start by scheduling important tests that may help find, and in some cases, prevent cancer. Mammogram: Mammograms are X-ray exams used to detect and evaluate breast changes. The American Cancer Society ACS recommends women at average risk for breast cancer begin receiving annual mammograms by age

A digital finger rectal examination is done to check for problems with organs or other structures in the pelvis and lower belly. During the examination, the doctor gently puts a lubricated, gloved finger of one hand into the rectum. He or she may use the other hand to press on the lower belly or pelvic area. A digital rectal exam may be done for men as part of a complete physical examination to check the prostate gland. It is done for women as part of a gynecological examination to check the uterus and ovaries. Other organs, such as the bladder, can sometimes also be felt during a digital rectal exam. A digital rectal exam DRE is done to:.

Skip to Content. A digital rectal exam DRE is a test for both men and women. It allows a doctor to check the lower rectum, pelvis, and lower belly for cancer and other health problems, including:. A doctor may perform a DRE as part of a routine medical examination.

NCBI Bookshelf. Boston: Butterworths; A wag once remarked, with considerable truth, that a consultant is a doctor who makes a rectal examination. Rectal examination consists of visual inspection of the perianal skin, digital palpation of the rectum, and assessment of neuromuscular function of the perineum. The clinical situation and experience of the examiner will often dictate which of several methods to employ in performing the rectal examination.