Volumetric and visual assessment of the mesial temporal structures in Alzheimer's disease.
BACKGROUND
Alzheimer's disease is the commonest cause of dementia. Clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease may be difficult. Magnetic resonance imaging has a role to play in diagnosis.


OBJECTIVE
To assess whether volumetric and/or visual assessment of the mesial temporal structures is useful in separating patients with Alzheimer's disease from age matched controls.


METHODS
Twenty-four patients with Alzheimer's disease diagnosed by NINCDS/ADRDA criteria and 15 age matched controls were studied with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and volumetric techniques. Segmented volumes of the mesial temporal structures were assessed visually and volumetrically.


RESULTS
Volumetric analysis demonstrated significant (p < .001) differences between the two groups, but showed overlap in individual cases. Discriminant function analysis predicted correct group membership (patient or control) in 85% of cases. Visual assessment alone demonstrated a sensitivity of 92% and a specificity of 93% in distinguishing the Alzheimer patients from controls.


CONCLUSIONS
Volumetric and visual assessment of the mesial temporal structures is useful in separating Alzheimer patients from controls. Overlap is present in individual cases. Visual assessment was as useful in separating the two groups as the volumetric analysis.
University of Melbourne, Department of Radiology, Royal Melbourne Hospital, Vic.
P M
PM
Desmond
J T
JT
O'Brien
B M
BM
Tress
D J
DJ
Ames
J G
JG
Clement
P
P
Clement
I
I
Schweitzer
V
V
Tuckwell
G S
GS
Robinson
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013702:Temporal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed