Kettering Health Main Campus is among the first in Dayton to use the newly FDA-approved Prostate Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) tracers. PSMA tracers are radioactive drugs used for PET and CT imaging to detect prostate cancer cells. The tracers help show specifically where the cancer is in the body.

The PSMA binds to prostate cancer cells and highlights the cancer cells on a scan. The scan is more accurate than traditional imaging, showing precisely where the cancer is located. The tracers also help detect cancer earlier and show if it has spread.

“We’re honored to be one of the first medical centers in the region to have this potentially lifesaving technology,” said Dr. Arif Sheikh, nuclear medicine specialist at Kettering Health. “By having these tracers, we’re able to detect prostate cancer early, detect whether or not the cancer has spread to other parts of the body, and have advanced guidance for providers to select the more appropriate therapy earlier.”

Developing a plan and beginning treatment earlier can help reduce side effects and improve overall wellness.

The National Comprehensive Cancer Network recommends PSMA-targeted PET scans. The scans are currently only approved for patients who have:

• High-risk disease
• Suspected recurrence based on elevated levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level