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Advanced brain imaging for the diagnosis of Alzheimer disease
Wang YT, Rosa-Neto P, Gauthier S.. Current opinion in neurology, 2023-08-03
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Plain-language summary
Purpose of review The purpose is to review the latest advances of brain imaging for the diagnosis of Alzheimer disease (AD). Recent findings Brain imaging techniques provide valuable and complementary information to support the diagnosis of Alzheimer disease in clinical and research settings. The recent FDA accelerated approvals of aducanumab, lecanemab and donanemab made amyloid-PET critical in helping determine the optimal window for anti-amyloid therapeutic interventions. Tau-PET, on the other hand, is considered of key importance for the tracking of disease progression and for monitoring therapeutic interventions in clinical trials. PET imaging for microglial activation, astrocyte reactivity and synaptic degeneration are still new techniques only used in the research field, and more studies are needed to validate their use in the clinical diagnosis of AD. Finally, artificial intelligence has opened new prospective in the early detection of AD using MRI modalities. Summary Brain imaging techniques using PET improve our understanding of the different AD-related pathologies and their relationship with each other along the course of disease. With more robust validation, machine learning and deep learning algorithms could be integrated with neuroimaging modalities to serve as valuable tools for clinicians to make early diagnosis and prognosis of AD.
What this study adds
Evidence grade: Low
This is a narrative review. This review describes how amyloid PET helps determine the window for anti-amyloid therapies and how tau PET is important for tracking progression and monitoring trials. It notes that PET for microglial activation, astrocyte reactivity and synaptic degeneration is still research-only, and it does not report a treatment, cure or prevention.
Taken from this record’s own fields, not from reading the paper. The grade is assigned from the abstract’s wording; what that means.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Wang, Y. T., Rosa-Neto, P., & Gauthier, S. (2023). Advanced brain imaging for the diagnosis of Alzheimer disease. Current opinion in neurology. https://doi.org/10.1097/wco.0000000000001198
Vancouver
Wang YT, Rosa-Neto P, Gauthier S. Advanced brain imaging for the diagnosis of Alzheimer disease. Current opinion in neurology. 2023. doi:10.1097/wco.0000000000001198. PMID: 37639461.
BibTeX
@article{wang2023-37639461,
author = {Wang, Y. T. and Rosa-Neto, P. and Gauthier, S.},
title = {{Advanced brain imaging for the diagnosis of Alzheimer disease}},
journal = {Current opinion in neurology},
year = {2023},
doi = {10.1097/wco.0000000000001198},
pmid = {37639461},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1097/wco.0000000000001198}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Tau-PET, on the other hand, is considered of key importance for the tracking of disease progression and for monitoring therapeutic interventions in clinical trials.
- PET imaging for microglial activation, astrocyte reactivity and synaptic degeneration are still new techniques only used in the research field, and more studies are needed to validate their use in the clinical diagnosis of AD.
- Finally, artificial intelligence has opened new prospective in the early detection of AD using MRI modalities.
- Summary Brain imaging techniques using PET improve our understanding of the different AD-related pathologies and their relationship with each other along the course of disease.
- With more robust validation, machine learning and deep learning algorithms could be integrated with neuroimaging modalities to serve as valuable tools for clinicians to make early diagnosis and prognosis of AD.
Why it matters
This review describes how amyloid PET helps determine the window for anti-amyloid therapies and how tau PET is important for tracking progression and monitoring trials. It notes that PET for microglial activation, astrocyte reactivity and synaptic degeneration is still research-only, and it does not report a treatment, cure or prevention.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Blood tests & biomarkers →
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 42/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomized / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Current opinion in neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Current Opinion in Neurology: journal h-index 165 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 0 / 12 | No study design recorded — scores zero, not guessed (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Strength of evidence | 1 / 5 | Rated “low” in our summary |
| Peer-review validation | 10 / 10 | Peer-reviewed. Published as an article in a named peer-reviewed journal. |
| How recent | 3 / 5 | 2023 — within 6 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 0 / 4 | Participant count not stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 0 / 3 | Not stated whether this was studied in people — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Randomized / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomization or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 3 / 7 | Cited 18 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 2 / 5 | 3.6 citations a year over 5 year(s) since 2023 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 3.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 1 / 6 | Cited by 1 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 16 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Serge G. Gauthier: h-index 121 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | McGill University: institution h-index 1,373 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 37639461) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 42 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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