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Association between in vivo fluorine 18-labeled flutemetamol amyloid positron emission tomography imaging and in vivo cerebral cortical histopathology
Wolk DA, Grachev ID, Buckley C, Kazi H, Grady MS, Trojanowski JQ, Hamilton RH, Sherwin P et al.. Archives of neurology, 2011-07-11
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Plain-language summary
Objective To determine the correspondence of in vivo quantitative estimates of brain uptake of fluorine 18-labeled flutemetamol with immunohistochemical estimates of amyloid levels in patients who underwent previous biopsy. Design Cross-sectional study of ¹⁸F-flutemetamol positron emission tomography (PET) findings in patients with prior cortical biopsy specimen stained for the presence or absence of amyloid plaques. Setting University hospital. Patients Seven patients who previously had a prior right frontal cortical biopsy at the site of ventriculoperitoneal placement for presumed normal pressure hydrocephalus were recruited. Inclusion criteria included an adequate biopsy specimen for detection and quantification of β-amyloid pathology and age older than 50 years. Intervention All patients underwent an ¹⁸F-flutemetamol PET scan. Main outcome measures Quantitative measures of ¹⁸F-flutemetamol uptake (standardized uptake value ratio, a ratio of mean target cortex activity divided by that in a cerebellar reference region) were made at a location contralateral to the biopsy site and compared with estimates of amyloid load based on immunohistochemical and histological staining. Results There was complete agreement between visual reads of ¹⁸F-flutemetamol PET scans (3 blinded readers with majority rule) and histology. A regression model, including time from biopsy as a covariate, demonstrated a significant relationship (P = .01) between ¹⁸F-flutemetamol uptake and percentage of area of amyloid measured by a monoclonal antibody raised against amyloid (NAB228). Similar results were found with the amyloid-specific monoclonal antibody 4G8 and Thioflavin S. Conclusion To our knowledge, these data are the first to demonstrate the concordance of ¹⁸F-flutemetamol PET imaging with histopathology, supporting its sensitivity to detect amyloid and potential use in the study and detection of Alzheimer disease.
What this study adds
Evidence grade: Low
This is a cross-sectional study. In seven patients who had a prior cortical biopsy, visual reads of flutemetamol PET scans agreed completely with histology for amyloid plaques. This concerns validation of an imaging method, not treating, curing or preventing Alzheimer disease.
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
Wolk, D. A., Grachev, I. D., Buckley, C., Kazi, H., Grady, M. S., Trojanowski, J. Q., et al. (2011). Association between in vivo fluorine 18-labeled flutemetamol amyloid positron emission tomography imaging and in vivo cerebral cortical histopathology. Archives of neurology. https://doi.org/10.1001/archneurol.2011.153
Vancouver
Wolk DA, Grachev ID, Buckley C, Kazi H, Grady MS, Trojanowski JQ, et al. Association between in vivo fluorine 18-labeled flutemetamol amyloid positron emission tomography imaging and in vivo cerebral cortical histopathology. Archives of neurology. 2011. doi:10.1001/archneurol.2011.153. PMID: 21747004.
BibTeX
@article{wolk2011-21747004,
author = {Wolk, D. A. and Grachev, I. D. and Buckley, C. and Kazi, H. and Grady, M. S. and Trojanowski, J. Q. and Hamilton, R. H. and Sherwin, P. and others},
title = {{Association between in vivo fluorine 18-labeled flutemetamol amyloid positron emission tomography imaging and in vivo cerebral cortical histopathology}},
journal = {Archives of neurology},
year = {2011},
doi = {10.1001/archneurol.2011.153},
pmid = {21747004},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1001/archneurol.2011.153}
}
Built from the record alzhub holds for this paper, not looked up. Volume, issue and page numbers are not held in the record. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
Key findings
- Main outcome measures Quantitative measures of ¹⁸F-flutemetamol uptake (standardized uptake value ratio, a ratio of mean target cortex activity divided by that in a cerebellar reference region) were made at a location contralateral to the biopsy site and compared with estimates of amyloid load based on immunohistochemical and histological staining.
- Results There was complete agreement between visual reads of ¹⁸F-flutemetamol PET scans (3 blinded readers with majority rule) and histology.
- A regression model, including time from biopsy as a covariate, demonstrated a significant relationship (P = .01) between ¹⁸F-flutemetamol uptake and percentage of area of amyloid measured by a monoclonal antibody raised against amyloid (NAB228).
- Similar results were found with the amyloid-specific monoclonal antibody 4G8 and Thioflavin S.
Why it matters
In seven patients who had a prior cortical biopsy, visual reads of flutemetamol PET scans agreed completely with histology for amyloid plaques. This concerns validation of an imaging method, not treating, curing or preventing Alzheimer disease.
New to this subject? Start with our plain-English guide: Blood tests & biomarkers →
Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 49/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for 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 (Archives of neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Archives of Neurology: journal h-index 353 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29) |
| Study design | 4 / 12 | A snapshot of people at one point in time |
| 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 | 1 / 5 | 2011 — within 20 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 | 5 / 7 | Cited 156 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 9.2 citations a year over 17 year(s) since 2011 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 11.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 18 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 8 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author David A. Wolk: h-index 96 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Pennsylvania: institution h-index 1,859 (OpenAlex) |
| Multicenter collaboration | 0 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 1 institution(s) in 1 country — scores zero (affiliation lists can be incomplete) |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 21747004) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 49 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.1001/archneurol.2011.153
- PubMed: 21747004
- Original source →
- Free full text: PubMed Central →
Full text: free to read — PubMed Central lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 10 Oct 2026).
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