Digital rectal examination and imaging studies are unnecessary in men with undetectable prostate specific antigen following radical prostatectomy.

Purpose: We determine the probability of local or distant recurrence following radical prostatectomy in men with an undetectable prostate specific antigen (PSA) level.

Materials And Methods: The clinical course of 1,916 consecutive men followed during a 14-year period after radical prostatectomy was reviewed. Average followup plus or minus standard deviation is 5.