Imaging of amyloid beta in Alzheimer's disease with 18F-BAY94-9172, a novel PET tracer: proof of mechanism.

Background: Amyloid-beta (Abeta) plaque formation is a hallmark of Alzheimer's disease (AD) and precedes the onset of dementia. Abeta imaging should allow earlier diagnosis, but clinical application is hindered by the short decay half-life of current Abeta-specific ligands. (18)F-BAY94-9172 is an Abeta ligand that, due to the half-life of (18)F, is suitable for clinical use.