Radial diffusivity is the best global biomarker able to discriminate healthy elders, mild cognitive impairment, and Alzheimer's disease: A diagnostic study of DTI-derived data.

Introduction: For the past two decades, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI)-derived metrics allowed the characterization of Alzheimer's disease (AzD). Previous studies reported only a few parameters (most commonly fractional anisotropy, mean diffusivity, and axial and radial diffusivities measured at selected regions). We aimed to assess the diagnostic performance of 11 DTI-derived tensor metrics by using a global approach.