Alzheimer disease: improved visual interpretation of PET images by using three-dimensional stereotaxic surface projections.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the diagnostic usefulness of three-dimensional (3D) stereotaxic surface projection (SSP) with that of standard transaxial display in brain positron emission tomography (PET) in Alzheimer disease (AD).


METHODS
Standard transaxial section display and 3D-SSP PET image sets obtained after administration of 2-deoxy-2-[fluorine-18]fluoro-D-glucose in 39 patients with probable AD (aged 53-82 years; 15 men, 24 women) and 40 subjects without AD (aged 21-78 years; 14 men, 26 women) were randomly interpreted. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was performed.


RESULTS
Diagnostic performance was superior with 3D SSP (Az[section]=0.94,Az[3D SSP]=0.99[Az=area under the ROC curve];P=.043). With 3D SSP, diagnosis of AD was equally good in beginners and experts. The sensitivity and specificity in questionable or mild dementia were 94% and 99% with 3D SSP and 79% and 88% with standard transaxial display.


CONCLUSIONS
Accuracy of detecting AD was improved in PET with 3D SSP.
Burdette
J H
JH
Department of Radiology, University of Michigan Medical Center, University Hospital, Ann Arbor 48109-0028, USA.
Minoshima
S
S
Vander Borght
T
T
Tran
D D
DD
Kuhl
D E
DE
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012372:ROC Curve; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013238:Stereotaxic Techniques; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed