For most men in this age group without symptoms or significant risk factors, routine imaging isn't automatically on the agenda. But your forties can be exactly the right time to understand your personal risk, particularly if you have a family history of certain conditions, smoke or have smoked, or have been told you may have elevated risk in other ways.
This page outlines the imaging options available to men in this age group, what each involves, and who they tend to be most relevant for - so you can have an informed conversation with your doctor about what makes sense for you.
Please note: These are imaging-based pathways available within our private radiology setting. They are in addition to, and do not replace other screening programmes offered through Health New Zealand.
Screening options
For men at higher-than-average risk of prostate cancer - for example, if you have an elevated PSA result or other indicators flagged by your doctor - an MRI of the prostate can be a really valuable next step.
PSA (Prostate-Specific Antigen) is a protein produced by the prostate gland, measured through a simple blood test. Elevated levels can point towards cancer, but can also be caused by non-cancerous conditions like inflammation or an enlarged prostate - which is where MRI comes in. It provides a detailed, radiation-free picture of the prostate that helps doctors understand what's actually going on, reducing the likelihood of unnecessary biopsies and guiding any further investigation to exactly the right area.
If you've had an elevated PSA result and are wondering about next steps, it's worth asking your doctor whether an MRI prostate is appropriate for you.
Heart disease often develops silently - without obvious symptoms - and for some men in their forties, risk can be higher than they realise.
A CT Calcium Score is a specialised scan that detects calcium deposits in the arteries supplying the heart. These deposits are a sign of plaque buildup, which can narrow or block blood flow and raise your risk of coronary artery disease, angina, or heart attack - often long before you feel any symptoms.
What makes this scan particularly useful is that it gives a direct picture of what's actually happening in your arteries, rather than estimating risk based on lifestyle factors alone. That means more informed conversations with your care team, and more targeted next steps if anything needs attention.
For most men, a CT Calcium Score is worth considering from around age 45–50. If you have diabetes, we'd recommend discussing this with your doctor from age 40 - diabetes significantly increases the risk of earlier and more aggressive plaque buildup, even in men who feel completely well.
If you currently smoke, or smoked heavily in the past - roughly a pack a day for 20 years or more - annual low-dose CT (LDCT) is worth thinking about, even if you feel completely well and have no symptoms.
LDCT is a quick, non-invasive scan that can detect lung cancer at an early stage, before symptoms develop and when treatment options are at their broadest. It uses less radiation than a standard CT and requires no injections or sedation - you can get on with your day straight afterwards.
For men at increased risk, it's a straightforward and proactive way to keep a closer eye on lung health, and to act early if anything needs attention. If lung screening sounds right for you, your first step is a conversation with your GP - ask about a referral to ARG Te Tai Tokerau Radiology.
CT Colonography is a safe, effective, and considerably more comfortable alternative to traditional colonoscopy for bowel cancer screening - with no sedation required, a quicker procedure, and a faster recovery.
In New Zealand, access to conventional colonoscopy can be limited, meaning wait times are often long. CT Colonography offers a timely and reliable alternative, helping more women access bowel screening without unnecessary delay.
For men at low risk, CT Colonography every five years is a sensible way to screen for bowel cancer and other changes to the colon and rectum - typically beginning around age 50. If you are at higher risk - due to family history of bowel cancer, previous polyps, or other risk factors - you may benefit from starting screening earlier, and we recommend discussing with your doctor whether beginning screening in your 40s may be appropriate.
Bowel cancer is highly treatable when caught early, which is exactly what regular screening is designed to do.
CT Colonography is a fast, accurate, and less invasive alternative to colonoscopy. See the comparison below for more information.
You may have heard that WB-MR is able to ‘check for everything’ and find disease early. While it can be used for screening or early detection in some situations it is not a complete test for all diseases, and it's important to understand its limitations.
Currently there is no evidence to demonstrate significant improvement to your health outcomes using whole‑body MRI as a screening tool. It can also identify incidental or low‑risk findings that may lead to unnecessary anxiety and follow‑up tests. In addition to this, not all diseases are detectable on whole‑body MRI - particularly in the early stages - which can offer you false reassurance.
Whole-body MRI may be appropriate:
- As part of specialist-led care or surveillance
- In high-risk genetic conditions such as Li-Fraumeni Syndrome (inherited TP53 loss)
- For specific medical reasons, such as inflammatory or systemic disease
We recommend screening that is targeted, and evidence based, matched to your own risk profile, and using imaging that’s known to improve outcomes (such as bowel, lung and the other screening options defined above).
If you believe a whole-body MRI may be appropriate for you, please discuss the potential benefits, limitations, and suitability of the test with your doctor and arrange a referral to book your appointment with us.