Abstract
SUMMARY: Brain imaging has progressed from exclusion of rare treatable mass lesions to a specific antemortem diagnosis. MR imaging−derived hippocampal atrophy and WMH are regarded as imaging biomarkers of AD and CVD respectively. Abnormal FP-CIT SPECT or cardiac iodobenzamide SPECT is a useful supportive imaging feature in the diagnosis of DLB. Frontal and/or anterior temporal atrophy and anterior defects on molecular imaging with FDG-PET or perfusion SPECT are characteristic of FTDs. Whole-body FDG-PET may be helpful in patients with rapidly progressing “autoimmune dementias,” and FLAIR and DWI are indicated in suspected CJD. A major role of imaging is in the development of new drugs and less costly biomarkers.
ABBREVIATIONS:
- apoE
- apolipoprotein E
- APP
- amyloid precursor protein
- bvFTD
- behavior variant frontotemporal dementia
- CJD
- Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease
- CVD
- cerebrovascular disease
- DLB
- dementia with Lewy bodies
- FP-CIT
- iodine-123-β-carbomethoxy-3 β-(4-iodophenyltropane) fluoropropyl
- FTD
- frontotemporal dementia
- MCI
- mild cognitive impairment
- PD
- Parkinson disease
- rCBF
- regional cerebral blood flow
- sCJD
- sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease
- TDP
- TAR deoxyribonucleic acid−binding protein 43
- VBM
- voxel-based morphometry
- vCJD
- variant Creutzfeldt-Jacob disease
- WMH
- white matter hyperintensities
- © 2012 by American Journal of Neuroradiology
Indicates open access to non-subscribers at www.ajnr.org