Technology Insight: imaging amyloid plaques in the living brain with positron emission tomography and MRI.
Alois Alzheimer first imaged amyloid plaques in 1906 by examining dead tissue under the microscope, but their clinical significance has remained undetermined. Now, nearly a century later, investigators are beginning to image amyloid plaques in living brains using both positron emission tomography and MRI. In this article, we review the studies that report on these recent technical advances, and discuss their potential importance in clarifying the diagnostic and pathogenic relevance of amyloid plaques to Alzheimer's disease.
Huddleston
Dan E
DE
Columbia University Medical Center, New York, NY, USA.
Small
Scott A
SA
D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000503:physiopathology; D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D003287:Contrast Media / Q000592:standards; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D006801:Humans; D018810:Magnetic Resonance Angiography / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D058225:Plaque, Amyloid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends; D011868:Radioisotopes
D016229:Amyloid beta-Peptides; D003287:Contrast Media; D011868:Radioisotopes