Amyloid Imaging in Alzheimer's disease and MCI with PET

AD is a progressive disease and Aβ may be present in the brain in abnormally high but not yet lethal concentrations for extended periods before the overt manifestation of the disorder. Therefore, early detection of abnormal Aβ accumulation is warranted and may identify subjects who are at risk for AD. Two recently developed markers for Aβ, [18F]FDNNP and [11C]PIB, are suitable for quantification of beta-amyloid accumulation in the living brain using Positron Emission Tomography (PET). PET is a brain imaging technique which makes it possible to visualize and quantify this amyloid accumulation in patients with AD. The main objective of Dr. Scheltens’ study is to evaluate which tracer is the most suitable for in-vivo amyloid imaging. Through the further development of early detection methods, individuals could eventually be treated with anti-amyloid drugs to prevent or slow down the nerve damage in AD.