How Kenya’s embrace of AI and Digital PET scans will change fight against cancer

The shift is being driven by local and global players alike, most notably Chinese-based United Imaging and the Nairobi West Hospital, both of which are redefining the future of oncology in the region.

At the heart of this transformation is the growing role of AI in nuclear medicine.

“When we look into the molecular imaging domain itself, there has been tremendous growth over the past decade,” said Dr. Dileep Kumar, senior director for global scientific collaborations at chinese medtech company United Imaging, speaking on the sidelines of the Molecular Frontiers Symposium held on June 5 at the Mövenpick Hotel in Westlands, Nairobi. 

“AI is not replacing doctors. It’s enhancing their capabilities—making diagnosis faster, more accurate, and more accessible.”

United Imaging has been embedding AI-driven tools in PET imaging scanners to improve diagnostic precision and patient comfort.

“One benefit is patient comfort, shorter scanning times,” Dr. Kumar explained. “Another is that we’re now able to detect very small lesions, even as tiny as 4mm, which makes a world of difference in early cancer detection.”

These advances are now being matched on the ground by institutions like the Nairobi West Hospital, which last year unveiled Kenya’s most advanced digital PET scan system supported by an in-house cyclotron - the nuclear medicine machine that produces real-time radioactive tracers essential for PET imaging.

“This is big news for Kenya,” said Dr. Solomon Mutua, head of oncology at Nairobi West Hospital. “We’ve moved from conventional imaging to a system that offers over 90% diagnostic accuracy. It’s a game changer.”

Previously, cancer imaging in Kenya relied heavily on CT scans, which, while useful, are limited in detecting the spread of certain cancers. But digital PET scans offer molecular-level insights, helping doctors visualize cancer in its earliest stages.

“You may not know how much you're missing until you have a tool that shows you,” Dr. Mutua said. “And back in the day, we were missing a lot, especially when cancers had already spread.”

By integrating AI with digital PET, United Imaging is further refining the process. “Our AI vision cameras are enabling motion detection and correction, improving image clarity,” Dr. Kumar explained. “It streamlines workflow for technologists and supports clinicians by reducing the risk of human error.”

One of the most promising applications of PET scans is in radiotherapy planning, where Nairobi West Hospital is leading active research.

“We’re now using PET to better target tumors, deliver the right radiation dose, and protect healthy tissues,” said Dr. Mutua. “Techniques like dose painting and adaptive radiotherapy are becoming possible. These are no longer just concepts—they're actionable in real-time.”

United Imaging is also innovating on this front, employing AI to generate digital twins—virtual models of a patient’s body based on longitudinal data. “Digital twins can be created for an organ or the whole body, depending on the data available,” Dr. Kumar explained. “If something starts to go wrong, the system can make predictions and suggest interventions.”

This kind of modeling could transform personalized medicine. “You can do a much better prediction and treatment planning based on a patient’s history,” he added.

Despite rapid advancements, both experts note that adoption across the country remains uneven. “The biggest challenge of AI in medicine is adaptability,” Dr. Kumar admitted. “There’s still fear that AI will replace humans or produce errors. But in reality, it’s a supportive tool that can significantly reduce human error and improve accuracy.”

Dr Kibet Shikuku, the Deputy Medical Director at Nairobi West Hospital and Acting CEO of the National Spinal Surgery Hospital, underscored the transformative potential of emerging technologies in fighting cancer and other complex diseases.

According to Dr. Shikuku, AI is opening up opportunities to expand access to cutting-edge healthcare even in rural and underserved areas.

“You can deploy AI-enabled equipment and procedures to Lodwar where you don't need a technical person to sit there,” he said. “The AI component can be able to be deployed to support even facilities that do not have the technical individuals to support the processes.”

Beyond diagnostics, Dr. Shikuku emphasized that Kenya now has the capability to produce radioisotopes — radioactive elements used in imaging and treatment — making the country more self-reliant in cancer care.

“We can use this technology not just to identify disease, but we can actually use similar elements that can be taken up by cells to treat the same diseases that have been a problem,” he said.

In particular, he highlighted the breakthrough of using PET-equivalent therapies to target prostate cancer, which he called a “game changer” in a country where the disease is a leading killer of men. “With the new therapy that now can be onboarded when we are using such technology, in my view, gives hope to men,” he noted.

But cancer is not the only focus. “This technology uses different radioisotopes to look at different conditions,” Dr. Kibbutz added. “So cancer alone is not going to be a beneficiary using this technology. We can do a lot more.”

Despite the excitement, Dr Shikuku cautioned that Kenya is still in the early stages. “We've just scratched the back. Next time, we should be looking at the impact of this technology to patients in this country and the outcomes.”

One of the biggest shifts brought by nuclear medicine, according to him, is the move toward personalized healthcare. “We are not going to be treating people in groups. No. You may be having the same disease, but the extent of your disease progression is so different,” he explained. “This is going to be a game changer.”

Dr. Mutua emphasized the financial and policy barriers. “Installing a cyclotron and a digital PET scan system isn’t cheap, it takes hundreds of millions of shillings,” he said. “That’s why we need strong political will and government investment. Without it, only a few elite institutions will benefit.”

Nairobi West Hospital, among the first in Kenya to acquire a digital PET system, now handles close to 100 cancer patients daily. Yet Dr. Mutua insists that the war against cancer can’t be won in isolation. “We may be competitors in the private sector, but collaboration is key. We must share our experiences to improve outcomes for all Kenyans.”

Amit Kumar Singh, CEO for Emerging Markets at United Imaging echoed the sentiment, noting that United Imaging is already exploring partnerships with local hospitals, including Nairobi Hospital, to boost AI adoption.

“We are trying to do a lot of new things, bring new technologies, as the vision is to bring equal healthcare to all,” he said. “Symposiums like this are very important to update everyone on what is going on in terms of technology, clinical enhancement and how doctors are actually using these technologies.”