title: An MRI-based semiquantitative index for the evaluation of brain atrophy and lesions in Alzheimer's disease, mild cognitive impairment and normal aging.
abstract: 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.
authors: National Research Council Canada, Institute for Biodiagnostics (Atlantic), Halifax, N.S., Canada.
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Chen
authors: Xiaowei
authors: X
authors: Song
authors: Yunting
authors: Y
authors: Zhang
authors: Sultan
authors: S
authors: Darvesh
authors: Ningnannan
authors: N
authors: Zhang
authors: Ryan C N
authors: RC
authors: D'Arcy
authors: Sandra
authors: S
authors: Black
authors: Kenneth
authors: K
authors: Rockwood
mesh_terms: 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