Neuroimaging Correlates with Neuropathologic Schemes in Neurodegenerative Disease

Overview

Journal Alzheimers Dement

Specialties Neurology
Psychiatry

Date 2019 Jun 9

PMID 31175025

Citations 44

Authors

Val J Lowe

Emily S Lundt

Sabrina M Albertson

Scott A Przybelski

Matthew L Senjem

Joseph E Parisi

Kejal Kantarci

Bradley Boeve

David T Jones

David Knopman

Clifford R Jack Jr

Dennis W Dickson

Ronald C Petersen

Melissa E Murray

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Introduction: Neuroimaging biomarkers are important for early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, and comparing multimodality neuroimaging to autopsy data is essential.

Methods: We compared the pathologic findings from a prospective autopsy cohort (n = 100) to Pittsburgh compound B PET (PiB-PET), F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET (FDG-PET), and MRI. Correlations between neuroimaging biomarkers and neuropathologic schemes were assessed.

Results: PiB-PET showed strong correlations with Thal amyloid phase and Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease score and categorized 44% of Thal phase 1 participants as positive. FDG-PET and MRI correlated modestly with Braak tangle stage in Alzheimer's type pathology. A subset of participants with "none" or "sparse" neuritic plaque scores had elevated PiB-PET signal due to diffuse amyloid plaque. Participants with findings characterized as "suspected non-Alzheimer's pathophysiology" represented 15% of the group.

Discussion: PiB-PET is associated with Alzheimer's disease, neuritic plaques, and diffuse plaques. FDG-PET and MRI have modest correlation with neuropathologic schemes. Participants with findings characterized as suspected non-Alzheimer's pathophysiology most commonly had primary age-related tauopathy.

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