  Prostatectomized patients are at risk of resurgence: this is the reason why,
during a follow-up period, they are monitored for PSA growth, an indicator of
tumor progression. The presence of tumors can be evaluated with an expensive
exam, called PET-PSMA (Positron Emission Tomography with Prostate-Specific
Membrane Antigen). But, to optimize the benefit/risk ratio, patients should be
referred to this exam only when the evidence is strong. The aim is to estimate
the optimal time to recommend the exam, based on patients' history and
collected data. We build a Hierarchical Bayesian model that describes, jointly,
the PSA growth curve and the probability of a positive PET-PSMA. Our proposal
is to process all information about the patient in order to give an informed
estimate of the optimal time.
