Multiagent imaging of the brain

Abstract

Positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) are in vivo imaging techniques that, using a wide range of tracers, allow the non-invasive tracking of pathophysiological processes in healthy and diseased brain. One of most promising of the various PET and SPECT applications is the investigation of pathophysiological aspects of neurodegenerative disorders. This is an extremely important area of investigation given the aging of the global population and the high prevalence of brain disorders such as Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease in elderly persons. Clinical translation of advances in molecular imaging research into clinical practice may, by overcoming the limitations of a diagnostic approach that relies exclusively on clinical judgment and structural imaging, lead to better clinical management of affected patients.

Non-Alzheimer types of neurodegenerative dementia

“…Dementia is one of the major causes of disability and, because of the progressively aging population worldwide, is becoming an increasingly relevant problem, both for individuals and for society [1,2]. The main risk factor for developing dementia is age: 650 million people across the world are older than 65 years, and by 2025 there will be an estimated 1.2 billion with 35.7 million older than 80 years.…”

“…The diagnosis of dementia is still essentially clinical and it is currently made in terms of probability as the certainty of diagnosis can be reached only on post-mortem tissue examination [2]. Patients who present with symptoms of dementia are a great challenge for the clinician because a clear clinical pattern, typical for a specific type of dementia, may not always be recognized [7,11].…”

Multiagent imaging: from the pathophysiologic basis to clinical characterization and radionuclide therapy

“…In the opening article, Ciarmiello et al [2] provide a comprehensive review of the complex pathophysiology of degenerative brain disorders. In this regard, both PET and SPECT imaging use a wide range of tracers to track pathophysiological processes in the healthy and diseased brain, especially for the purpose of investigating the pathophysiological aspects of neurodegenerative disorders.…”