title: [Conversion from MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment) to Alzheimer's disease: diagnostic options and predictors].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The first part of this article deals with the concept of Mild Cognitive Impairment and its role in the pathogenesis of dementia. In the second part neuroradiologic diagnostic methods which can potentially help to predict the conversion of MCI to Alzheimer s disease (DAT) are discussed.
  
  
  METHODS
  We reviewed in PubMed published literature for reports which investigated diagnosis and progress of patients with MCI and DAT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patients with MCI older than 65 years have a risk of 10-15%/year to develop dementia in comparison to the healthy population with a risk of 2%/year. Neuroradiologic methods such as MR-spectroscopy, FDGPET, DWI and VBM are able to differentiate patients who will convert to DAT from patients who remain stable. Structural changes can be detected prior to clinically measurable cognitive deficits.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The neuroradiologic examination using MR- Spectroscopy, VBM, DWI or FDG-PET show early structural and functional changes which can predict a conversion from MCI to DAT.
authors.affiliation: Department für Biologische Psychologie, Karl-Franzens-Universität Graz.
authors.forename: Michaela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Defranceso
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schocke
authors.forename: Hubert J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Messner
authors.forename: Eberhard A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Deisenhammer
authors.forename: Hartmann
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Hinterhuber
authors.forename: Josef
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Marksteiner
authors.forename: Elisabeth M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Weiss
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living / Q000145:classification; D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D003072:Cognition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D008609:Mental Status Schedule; D008875:Middle Aged; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity