Indium capromab pendetide (trade name Prostascint) is used to image the extent of prostate cancer

Prostate cancer

Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...

. Capromab is a mouse

Mouse

A mouse is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house mouse . It is also a popular pet. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds such as hawks and eagles...

 monoclonal antibody which recognizes prostate specific membrane antigen

Prostate specific membrane antigen

Prostate-specific membrane antigen is a type 2 integral membrane glycoproteinfound in prostate tissues and a few other tissues. It is a possible therapeutic target for prostate cancer. Although it is a marker for prostate cancer little is known about its function in the body...

 (PSMA) from prostate cancer cells and normal prostate tissue. It is linked to pendetide

Pendetide

Pendetide is a chelating agent. It consists of pentetic acid linked to the tripeptide glycine – L-tyrosine – L-lysine .-Use:The following monoclonal antibodies are linked to pendetide to chelate a radionuclide, indium-111...

, a derivative of DTPA. Pendetide acts as a chelating agent for the radionuclide

Radionuclide

A radionuclide is an atom with an unstable nucleus, which is a nucleus characterized by excess energy available to be imparted either to a newly created radiation particle within the nucleus or to an atomic electron. The radionuclide, in this process, undergoes radioactive decay, and emits gamma...

 indium-111. Following an intravenous injection of Prostascint, imaging is performed using single photon emission computed tomography

Single photon emission computed tomography

Single-photon emission computed tomography is a nuclear medicine tomographic imaging technique using gamma rays. It is very similar to conventional nuclear medicine planar imaging using a gamma camera. However, it is able to provide true 3D information...

 (SPECT).

Early trials with yttrium (⁹⁰Y

Yttrium-90

Yttrium-90 is a medically significant isotope of yttrium.It emits beta rays of 2.3 MeV.Yttrium-90 is a decay product of Strontium-90 which makes up about 5% of the Nuclear daughter isotopes when Uranium is fissioned....

) capromab pendetide were also conducted.