The variety of neuroimaging in early Alzheimer’s disease

The variety of neuroimaging in early Alzheimer's disease

Miharu Samuraki¹⁾, Ichiro Matsunari²⁾, Masahito Yamada¹⁾

¹⁾Department of Neurology and Neurobiology of Aging, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Sciences
²⁾The Medical and Pharmacological Research Center Foundation

The medial temporal lobe atrophy and glucose hypometabolism in posterior cingulate gyrus (PCG), precuneus, and parieto-temporal lobes are important findings for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, those typical abnormal findings are not necessarily recognized at early stage of AD. A recent study revealed PCG/precuneus atrophy rather than hippocampal atrophy in some early AD patients. Glucose metabolism in hippocampus and vascular changes such as microbleeds and white matter lesions are also debatable issues at early stage of AD. On the diagnosis of early AD, we should consider those varieties of neuroimaging findings in relation to clinical symptoms, disease progression, and therapeutic responses.

Address correspondence to Dr. Miharu Samuraki, Department of Neurology and Neurobiology of Aging, Kanazawa University Graduate School of Medical Sciences(13-1 Takara-town, Kanazawa-city, Ishikawa 920-8640, Japan)