Dementia Japan 31:86-93, 2017

Evaluation of amyloid PET in Alzheimer's disease

Takashi Kato, Akinori Nakamura, Kengo Ito

National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology

Deposition of amyloid plaque is One of the fundamental neuropathological changes of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is deposition of amyloid plaque that was visualized with PET using radiolabeled ligands.  Florbetapir, Flutemetamol, Florbetaben have been approved for clinical use by FDG.  Amyloid PET image is evaluated by visual read or semi-quantitative values.  Amyloid PET predicts cognitive decline conversion to AD in the stage of mild cognitive impairment.  Amyloid PET also predict decline of memory function in cognitively normal subjects.  In many clinical trials of disease-modifying drugs for AD, amyloid PET positivity is an inclusion criteria.

Address correspondence to Dr. Takashi Kato, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology (7-430 Morioka, Obu, Aichi 474-8511, Japan)