A comparison of measurement methods of hippocampal atrophy rate for predicting Alzheimer's dementia in the Aberdeen Birth Cohort of 1936.
BACKGROUND
Various methods are available to measure hippocampal atrophy rate. We compared methods to predict Alzheimer's dementia.


METHODS
Participants with brain imaging at ages 69 and 73 years were identified from a previous study. Simple manual measures and computationally automated volumetry were performed. Receiver operating characteristics assessed the predictive ability of each method at baseline and on logit regression analysis of two serial scans.


RESULTS
Ten of 149 participants developed Alzheimer's dementia and had lower baseline volumes (3647 vs. 4194 mm3P= .002), rates of volume loss (-126 vs. -36 mm3/y;P= .001), and rates of loss in hippocampal fraction (-8.55 vs. -2.35 x 10-5/y;P= .001). Baseline volume with a rate of change gave the highest area under the curve value of 0.96.


CONCLUSIONS
Automated volumetry measuring hippocampal size at age 69 years and subsequent rate of change predicts Alzheimer's dementia development.
Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging Center, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
Arnab K
AK
Rana
Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging Center, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
Anca-Larisa
AL
Sandu
Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging Center, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
Kenna L
KL
Robertson
Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging Center, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
Christopher J
CJ
McNeil
Institute of Applied Health Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
Lawrence J
LJ
Whalley
Medical Physics, Aberdeen Royal Infirmary, Aberdeen, UK.
Roger T
RT
Staff
Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging Center, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK.
Alison D
AD
Murray
Alzheimer's disease; Automated volumetry; Hippocampal atrophy rate; Hippocampal volume; Rounding ratio; Scheltens' score