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PET Imaging in Alzheimer Disease: Diagnostic and Prognostic Applications
Fahmida Khatoon, Yassir Musa, Zahid Balouch, Syeda Misba Maqsood, Komal Yousuf, Muzammil Aftab. International Journal of Clinical and Medical Research, 2026-06-30
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Alzheimer Disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by amyloid-β deposition, tau pathology, synaptic dysfunction, neuronal injury and cerebral atrophy. Positron Emission Tomography (PET) has transformed AD evaluation by enabling in-vivo visualization of molecular and metabolic abnormalities. 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET evaluates cerebral glucose metabolism, amyloid PET identifies fibrillar amyloid-β and tau PET provides information about neurofibrillary pathology. This review examines diagnostic and prognostic applications of PET in AD, particularly in mild cognitive impairment, atypical dementia, differential diagnosis, disease staging, progression prediction and treatment selection. Evidence indicates that amyloid PET is highly useful for establishing amyloid pathology, whereas tau PET is more closely associated with disease stage and clinical severity. FDG PET remains valuable for identifying patterns of neurodegeneration and distinguishing AD from other dementias. With the emergence of disease-modifying anti-amyloid therapies, molecular confirmation has become increasingly relevant to treatment decisions. Important limitations include cost, availability, radiation exposure, tracer-specific limitations, mixed pathology and interpretation variability. Future integration of PET with MRI, blood biomarkers and artificial intelligence may improve individualized diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic monitoring.
Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
APA 7th
Khatoon, F., Musa, Y., Balouch, Z., Maqsood, S. M., Yousuf, K., & Aftab, M. (2026). PET Imaging in Alzheimer Disease: Diagnostic and Prognostic Applications. International Journal of Clinical and Medical Research. https://doi.org/10.66590/ijcmr2026030107
Vancouver
Khatoon F, Musa Y, Balouch Z, Maqsood SM, Yousuf K, Aftab M. PET Imaging in Alzheimer Disease: Diagnostic and Prognostic Applications. International Journal of Clinical and Medical Research. 2026. doi:10.66590/ijcmr2026030107.
BibTeX
@article{khatoon2026-05f30011,
author = {Khatoon, Fahmida and Musa, Yassir and Balouch, Zahid and Maqsood, Syeda Misba and Yousuf, Komal and Aftab, Muzammil},
title = {{PET Imaging in Alzheimer Disease: Diagnostic and Prognostic Applications}},
journal = {International Journal of Clinical and Medical Research},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.66590/ijcmr2026030107},
url = {https://doi.org/10.66590/ijcmr2026030107}
}
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
- Evidence indicates that amyloid PET is highly useful for establishing amyloid pathology, whereas tau PET is more closely associated with disease stage and clinical severity.
Why it matters
This review describes how amyloid PET establishes amyloid pathology, tau PET relates to disease stage and severity, and FDG PET identifies neurodegeneration patterns. It covers diagnostic and prognostic uses of PET, including treatment selection, but does not itself test any treatment, cure, or prevention.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 29/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, sample size, effect reported, studied in people and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it. We have no data on senior author's track record, so that was left out: it earned 28 of the 96 points we could judge it on, which is 29 out of 100.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (International Journal of Clinical and Medical Research) |
| Journal's citation record | 0 / 4 | International Journal of Clinical and Medical Research: journal h-index 0 (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 | 5 / 5 | 2026 — within 1 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) |
| Randomised / blinded | 0 / 2 | No randomisation or blinding stated — scores zero (not stated in the record — scored 0) |
| Times cited | 0 / 7 | Cited 0 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 0 / 5 | 0.0 citations a year over 2 year(s) since 2026 |
| Impact for its field and year | 0 / 6 | Cited 0.0× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 0 / 6 | No other study in this library cites it |
| Still being cited | 0 / 4 | Cited 0 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | — / 4 | OpenAlex's profile for last-listed author Muzammil Aftab holds only 8 work(s), too few to judge a track record — left out of this score |
| Institution's track record | 0 / 3 | Iqra University: institution h-index 140 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 5 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 1 / 2 | Not in PubMed, but has a DOI |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Points | 28 / 96 | Scored on 19 of 20 parts. We have no data for the rest, so they are left out: 28 of the 96 points we could judge it on is 29 out of 100. |
| Total | 29 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
- DOI: 10.66590/ijcmr2026030107
- Original source →
- Free full text: International Journal of Clinical and Medical Research →
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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