An MRI-based semiquantitative index for the evaluation of brain atrophy and lesions in Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment and normal aging.
BACKGROUND
This study investigates how T(1)-weighted MRI can be used to evaluate brain anatomical changes. We investigated these changes in Alzheimer's disease (AD) and normal aging.


METHODS
A semiquantitative brain atrophy and lesion index (BALI) was constructed by adapting existing visual rating scales and validated in 3 datasets.


RESULTS
The T(1)- and T(2)-weighted-imaging-based scores were highly correlated. They were both closely associated with age and with cognitive test scores.


CONCLUSIONS
The T(1)-based BALI helps describe brain structural variability in AD, mild cognitive impairment and normal aging.
Chen
Wei
W
National Research Council Canada, Institute for Biodiagnostics (Atlantic), Halifax, N.S., Canada.
Song
Xiaowei
X
Zhang
Yunting
Y
Darvesh
Sultan
S
Zhang
Ningnannan
N
D'Arcy
Ryan C N
RC
Black
Sandra
S
Rockwood
Kenneth
K
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001284:Atrophy / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology*; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000592:standards*; D008297:Male; D019636:Neurodegenerative Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology; D012016:Reference Values; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014894:Weights and Measures / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000592:standards