Alzheimer's disease heterogeneity revealed by neuroanatomical normative modeling.

Introduction: Overlooking the heterogeneity in Alzheimer's disease (AD) may lead to diagnostic delays and failures. Neuroanatomical normative modeling captures individual brain variation and may inform our understanding of individual differences in AD-related atrophy.

Methods: We applied neuroanatomical normative modeling to magnetic resonance imaging from a real-world clinical cohort with confirmed AD ( = 86).

Visual atrophy rating scales and amyloid PET status in an Alzheimer's disease clinical cohort.

Objectives: Visual rating scales (VRS) are the quantification method closest to the approach used in routine clinical practice to assess brain atrophy. Previous studies have suggested that the medial temporal atrophy (MTA) rating scale is a reliable diagnostic marker for AD, equivalent to volumetric quantification, while others propose a higher diagnostic utility for the Posterior Atrophy (PA) scale in early-onset AD.

Methods: Here, we reviewed 14 studies that assessed the diagnostic accuracy of PA and MTA, we explored the issue of cut-off heterogeneity, and assessed 9 rating scales in a group of patients with biomarker-confirmed diagnosis.

Enhancing Respiratory Disease Surveillance to Detect COVID-19 in Shelters for Displaced Persons, Thailand-Myanmar Border, 2020-2021.

We developed surveillance guidance for COVID-19 in 9 temporary camps for displaced persons along the Thailand-Myanmar border. Arrangements were made for testing of persons presenting with acute respiratory infection, influenza-like illness, or who met the Thailand national COVID-19 Person Under Investigation case definition. In addition, testing was performed for persons who had traveled outside of the camps in outbreak-affected areas or who departed Thailand as resettling refugees.

Prevalence of Depressive Symptoms in a Memory Clinic Cohort: A Retrospective Study.

Background: Depression has been suggested to be a cause of reversible cognitive impairment but also a risk factor for neurodegenerative disease. Studies suggest that depression prevalence may be high in early onset dementia, particularly Alzheimer's disease, but this has not been systematically assessed in a biomarker-validated clinical dementia cohort to date.

Objective: To examine the prevalence, features, and association with amyloid pathology of lifetime depressive symptoms in a memory clinic cohort meeting appropriate use criteria for amyloid PET imaging.

The role of amyloid PET in patient selection for extra-ventricular shunt insertion for the treatment of idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus: A pooled analysis.

Background: Idiopathic Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus (iNPH) can be effectively treated through shunt insertion. However, most shunted patients experience little or no clinical benefit, which suggests suboptimal patient selection. While contentious, multiple studies have reported poorer shunt outcomes associated with concomitant Alzheimer's disease.

Evaluating cognitive profiles of patients undergoing clinical amyloid-PET imaging.

Episodic memory impairment and brain amyloid-beta are two of the main hallmarks of Alzheimer's Disease. In the clinical setting, these are often evaluated through neuropsychological testing and amyloid PET imaging, respectively. The use of amyloid PET in clinical practice is only indicated in patients with substantial diagnostic uncertainty due to atypical clinical presentation, multiple comorbidities and/or early age of onset.

Systematic Evaluation of Kinetics and Distribution of Muscle and Lymph Node Activation Measured by F-FDG- and C-PBR28-PET/CT Imaging, and Whole Blood and Muscle Transcriptomics After Immunization of Healthy Humans With Adjuvanted and Unadjuvanted Vaccines.

Systems vaccinology has been applied to detect signatures of human vaccine induced immunity but its ability, together with high definition clinical imaging is not established to predict vaccine reactogenicity. Within two European Commission funded high impact programs, BIOVACSAFE and ADITEC, we applied high resolution positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) scanning using tissue-specific and non-specific radioligands together with transcriptomic analysis of muscle biopsies in a clinical model systematically and prospectively comparing vaccine-induced immune/inflammatory responses. 109 male participants received a single immunization with licensed preparations of either AS04-adjuvanted hepatitis B virus vaccine (AHBVV); MF59C-adjuvanted (ATIV) or unadjuvanted seasonal trivalent influenza vaccine (STIV); or alum-OMV-meningococcal B protein vaccine (4CMenB), followed by a PET/CT scan (n = 54) or an injection site muscle biopsy (n = 45).

Amyloid PET imaging in clinical practice.

Amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) imaging enables in vivo detection of brain Aβ deposition, one of the neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer's disease. There is increasing evidence to support its clinical utility, with major studies showing that amyloid PET imaging improves diagnostic accuracy, increases diagnostic certainty and results in therapeutic changes. The Amyloid Imaging Taskforce has developed appropriate use criteria to guide clinicians by predefining certain scenarios where amyloid PET would be justified.

Using amyloid PET imaging to diagnose Alzheimer's disease in patients with multiple sclerosis.

Background: Cognitive dysfunction affects 40-60% of individuals with multiple sclerosis (MS). The neuropsychological profile commonly consists of a subcortical pattern of deficits, although a proportion of patients have a severe progressive cortical dementia. However, patients with MS can be affected by other neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease (AD).

Integrin αvβ6 Positron Emission Tomography Imaging in Lung Cancer Patients Treated With Pulmonary Radiation Therapy.

Purpose: Post radiation therapy (RT) lung fibrosis is a major barrier to improved cure rate in lung cancer. Integrin αvβ6 plays a key role in fibrogenesis by activating transforming growth factor-β. Positron emission tomography (PET) studies with a fluorine-18 radiolabelled αvβ6 radioligand, [F]-FBA-A20FMDV2, were performed to assess uptake, and the relationship to RT dose parameters was explored.

Tau Aggregation Correlates with Amyloid Deposition in Both Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer's Disease Subjects.

Background: Amyloid plaque and tau-containing neurofibrillary tangles are important features of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the relationship between these processes is still debated.

Objective: We aimed to investigate local and distant relationships between tau and amyloid deposition in the cortex in mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and AD using PET imaging.

Quantitative evaluation of beta-amyloid brain PET imaging in dementia: a comparison between two commercial software packages and the clinical report.

Objective: To compare commercially available image analysis tools Hermes BRASS and Siemens with clinical assessment in F-Florbetapir PET scans.

Methods: 225 scans were reported by clinicians and quantified using two software packages. Scans were classified into Type A (typical features) or non-Type A (atypical features) for both positive and negative scans.

Optimisation and usefulness of quantitative analysis of F-florbetapir PET.

Objectives: This study investigates the usefulness of quantitative SUVR thresholds on sub types of typical (type A) and atypical (non-type A) positive (Aβ+) and negative (Aβ-) F-florbetapir scans and aims to optimise the thresholds.

Methods: Clinical F-florbetapir scans ( = 100) were categorised by sub type and visual reads were performed independently by three trained readers. Inter-reader agreement and reader-to-reference agreement were measured.

Osteoporosis Circumscripta on 68Ga-DOTATATE PET CT.

Incidental findings on PET CT studies are common. The distribution of Ga-DOTATATE is dependent on cell surface expression of somatostatin receptors, which may be pathologic or physiologic. Osteoporosis circumscripta is the early lytic phase of Paget disease associated with well-defined osteopenia, most commonly seen within the skull on imaging.

Clinical F-FDG and amyloid brain positron emission tomography/CT in the investigation of cognitive impairment: where are we now?

The number of people living with dementia is increasing, but as yet there remains no cure or disease-modifying treatment. This review aims to help readers understand the role of F-FDG PET/CT imaging in the investigation of cognitive impairment and how the advent of amyloid PET/CT imaging may hold the key to radically changing management of the most common form of dementia - Alzheimer's disease. The indications for F-FDG PET/CT and amyloid PET/CT imaging in cognitive impairment are outlined.

The Racoon Eye Sign in the Investigation of Dementia Using 18F-Florbetaben.

Differentiating Alzheimer disease (AD) from other forms of cognitive impairment and from normal aging can be challenging. As a consequence, the diagnosis of AD can be delayed, often occurring too late for meaningful intervention. The role of β-amyloid plaques in the pathogenesis of AD provides a target for highly sensitive and specific image quantification of amyloid plaque burden using β-amyloid PET (F-florbetaben).

Clinical utility of amyloid PET imaging with (18)F-florbetapir: a retrospective study of 100 patients.

Background And Objective: Amyloid-positron emission tomography (PET) imaging (API) detects amyloid-beta pathology early in the course of Alzheimer's disease (AD) with high sensitivity and specificity. (18)F-florbetapir (Amyvid) is an amyloid-binding PET ligand with a half-life suitable for clinical use outside of the research setting. How API affects patient investigation and management in the 'real-world' arena is unknown.

The value of combined assessment of vertebral fractures with 99mTc MDP scintigraphy and MRI in selecting and planning percutaneous vertebroplasty.

Background: Percutaneous vertebroplasty is a minimally invasive radiological procedure intended for relieving painful vertebral fractures. Suitability depends largely on fracture age, with acute osteoporotic fractures being most appropriate. Selection and planning usually involves either Tc MDP scintigraphy or MRI.

68Ga DOTATATE PET/CT uptake in spinal lesions and MRI correlation on a patient with neuroendocrine tumor: potential pitfalls.

A 62-year-old female patient with suspected insulinoma underwent 68Ga DOTA-TATE PET/CT for characterization and staging. This demonstrated a focus of uptake in the pancreas and 3 foci of uptake in the spine. An MRI of the spine performed to further characterize the lesions revealed the presence of a meningioma and degenerative changes, both of which showed 68Ga DOTA-TATE uptake.

Anatomical and functional localization of ectopic parathyroid adenomas: 6-year institutional experience.

Introduction: Localization of ectopic parathyroid adenoma is highly important to guide surgery, thus reducing morbidity and rate of recurrent hyperparathyroidism. The aim of this study was to establish the incidence of ectopic parathyroid adenoma and evaluate the role of multimodality imaging in diagnosis.

Materials And Methods: We reviewed 656 imaging studies of patients referred for investigations of primary hyperparathyroidism.