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MRI and CSF biomarkers in normal, MCI, and AD subjects: diagnostic discrimination and cognitive correlations
Vemuri P, Wiste HJ, Weigand SD, Shaw LM, Trojanowski JQ, Weiner MW, Knopman DS, Petersen RC et al.. Neurology, 2009-07-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Objective To assess the correlations of both MRI and CSF biomarkers with clinical diagnosis and with cognitive performance in cognitively normal (CN) subjects and patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) and Alzheimer disease (AD). Methods This is a cross-sectional study with data from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative, which consists of CN subjects, subjects with aMCI, and subjects with AD with both CSF and MRI. Baseline CSF (t-tau, Abeta(1-42), and p-tau(181P)) and MRI scans were obtained in 399 subjects (109 CN, 192 aMCI, 98 AD). Structural Abnormality Index (STAND) scores, which reflect the degree of AD-like anatomic features on MRI, were computed for each subject. Results We found no significant correlation between CSF biomarkers and cognitive scores in any of the 3 clinical groups individually. Conversely, STAND scores correlated with both Clinical Dementia Rating-sum of boxes and Mini-Mental State Examination in aMCI and AD (p Conclusions CSF and MRI biomarkers independently contribute to intergroup diagnostic discrimination and the combination of CSF and MRI provides better prediction than either source of data alone. However, MRI provides greater power to effect cross-sectional groupwise discrimination and better correlation with general cognition and functional status cross-sectionally. We therefore conclude that although MRI and CSF provide complementary information, MRI reflects clinically defined disease stage better than the CSF biomarkers tested.
Key findings
- Results We found no significant correlation between CSF biomarkers and cognitive scores in any of the 3 clinical groups individually.
- We therefore conclude that although MRI and CSF provide complementary information, MRI reflects clinically defined disease stage better than the CSF biomarkers tested.
Why it matters
In 399 subjects, CSF biomarkers showed no significant correlation with cognitive scores in any clinical group, while MRI scores correlated with cognition in mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer disease. The authors conclude MRI reflects clinically defined disease stage better than the CSF biomarkers tested, so this is about diagnosis, not treatment.
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Study details
- Study designcross-sectional
- Participants399
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 60/100
Published in a leading specialty journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 9 / 10 | Tier 2 — leading specialty journal (Neurology) |
| Journal's citation record | 4 / 4 | Neurology: journal h-index 525 (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 | 2009 — within 20 year(s) of the newest study here |
| Sample size | 2 / 4 | 399 participants |
| Effect reported | 0 / 3 | No effect size reported — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Studied in people | 3 / 3 | Studied in people (participant count stated) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 5 / 7 | Cited 246 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 12.9 citations a year over 19 year(s) since 2009 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 18.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 3 / 6 | Cited by 27 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 | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Clifford R. Jack: h-index 203 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of California, San Francisco: institution h-index 1,915 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 19636048) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 60 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
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APA 7th
Vemuri, P., Wiste, H. J., Weigand, S. D., Shaw, L. M., Trojanowski, J. Q., Weiner, M. W., et al. (2009). MRI and CSF biomarkers in normal, MCI, and AD subjects: diagnostic discrimination and cognitive correlations. Neurology. https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0b013e3181af79e5
Vancouver
Vemuri P, Wiste HJ, Weigand SD, Shaw LM, Trojanowski JQ, Weiner MW, et al. MRI and CSF biomarkers in normal, MCI, and AD subjects: diagnostic discrimination and cognitive correlations. Neurology. 2009. doi:10.1212/wnl.0b013e3181af79e5. PMID: 19636048.
BibTeX
@article{vemuri2009-19636048,
author = {Vemuri, P. and Wiste, H. J. and Weigand, S. D. and Shaw, L. M. and Trojanowski, J. Q. and Weiner, M. W. and Knopman, D. S. and Petersen, R. C. and others},
title = {{MRI and CSF biomarkers in normal, MCI, and AD subjects: diagnostic discrimination and cognitive correlations}},
journal = {Neurology},
year = {2009},
doi = {10.1212/wnl.0b013e3181af79e5},
pmid = {19636048},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1212/wnl.0b013e3181af79e5}
}
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