Precuneus and Cingulate Cortex Atrophy and Hypometabolism in Patients with Alzheimer's Disease and Mild Cognitive Impairment: MRI and (18)F-FDG PET Quantitative Analysis Using FreeSurfer.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to compare glucose metabolism and atrophy, in the precuneus and cingulate cortex, in patients with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and mild cognitive impairment (MCI), using FreeSurfer.


METHODS
47 individuals (17 patients with AD, 17 patients with amnestic MCI, and 13 healthy controls (HC)) were included. MRI and PET images using (18)F-FDG (mean injected dose of 185 MBq) were acquired and analyzed using FreeSurfer to define regions of interest in the hippocampus, amygdala, precuneus, and anterior and posterior cingulate cortex. Regional volumes were generated. PET images were registered to the T1-weighted MRI images and regional uptake normalized by cerebellum uptake (SUVr) was measured.


RESULTS
Mean posterior cingulate volume was reduced in MCI and AD. SUVr were different between the three groups: mean precuneus SUVr was 1.02 for AD, 1.09 for MCI, and 1.26 for controls (p < 0.05); mean posterior cingulate SUVr was 0.96, 1.06, and 1.22 for AD, MCI, and controls, respectively (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
We found graduated hypometabolism in the posterior cingulate cortex and the precuneus in prodromal AD (MCI) and AD, whereas atrophy was not significant. This suggests that the use of (18)F-FDG in these two regions could be a neurodegenerative biomarker.
Service de Médecine Nucléaire, CHRU de Tours, boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France ; Service de Médecine Nucléaire, CHR Orléans, avenue de l'Hôpital, 45000 Orléans, France.
Matthieu
M
Bailly
INSERM U930, Université François Rabelais, boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France.
Christophe
C
Destrieux
INSERM U930, Université François Rabelais, boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France ; Consultation Mémoire, CHRU de Tours, boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France.
Caroline
C
Hommet
INSERM U930, Université François Rabelais, boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France ; Consultation Mémoire, CHRU de Tours, boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France.
Karl
K
Mondon
INSERM U930, Université François Rabelais, boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France ; Service de Neuroradiologie, CHRU de Tours, boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France.
Jean-Philippe
JP
Cottier
INSERM U930, Université François Rabelais, boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France ; Consultation Mémoire, CHRU de Tours, boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France.
Emilie
E
Beaufils
INSERM U930, Université François Rabelais, boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France ; INSERM CIC 1415, boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France.
Emilie
E
Vierron
INSERM U930, Université François Rabelais, boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France.
Johnny
J
Vercouillie
CEA/DSV/I2BM/CI-NAPS UMR6232, 14000 Caen, France.
Méziane
M
Ibazizene
INSERM U825, Université Paul Sabatier, 31400 Toulouse, France.
Thierry
T
Voisin
INSERM U825, Université Paul Sabatier, 31400 Toulouse, France.
Pierre
P
Payoux
CEA/DSV/I2BM/CI-NAPS UMR6232, 14000 Caen, France.
Louisa
L
Barré
INSERM U930, Université François Rabelais, boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France ; Consultation Mémoire, CHRU de Tours, boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France.
Vincent
V
Camus
INSERM U930, Université François Rabelais, boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France ; INSERM CIC 1415, boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France.
Denis
D
Guilloteau
Service de Médecine Nucléaire, CHRU de Tours, boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France ; INSERM U930, Université François Rabelais, boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France ; INSERM CIC 1415, boulevard Tonnellé, 37000 Tours, France.
Maria-Joao
MJ
Ribeiro
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D002526:Cerebellar Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D060825:Cognitive Dysfunction / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D019298:Glucose-6-Phosphate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D006179:Gyrus Cinguli / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010296:Parietal Lobe / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011859:Radiography
C047515:2-fluoro-2-deoxyglucose-6-phosphate; D019298:Glucose-6-Phosphate