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PET studies in dementia
Herholz K.. Annals of nuclear medicine, 2003-04-01
Topic: Risk, prevention and care in population studies
Measurement of local cerebral glucose metabolism (lCMRGlc) by positron emission tomography (PET) and 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) has become a standard technique during the past 20 years and is now available at many university hospitals in all highly developed countries. Many studies have documented a close relation between lCMRGlc and localized cognitive functions, such as language and visuoconstructive abilities. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by regional impairment of cerebral glucose metabolism in neocortical association areas (posterior cingulate, temporoparietal and frontal multimodal association cortex), whereas primary visual and sensorimotor cortex, basal ganglia, and cerebellum are relatively well preserved.
Key findings
- Many studies have documented a close relation between lCMRGlc and localized cognitive functions, such as language and visuoconstructive abilities.
- Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by regional impairment of cerebral glucose metabolism in neocortical association areas (posterior cingulate, temporoparietal and frontal multimodal association cortex), whereas primary visual and sensorimotor cortex, basal ganglia, and cerebellum are relatively well preserved.
- In a multicenter study comprising 10 PET centers (Network for Efficiency and Standardisation of Dementia Diagnosis, NEST-DD) that employed an automated voxel-based analysis of FDG PET images, the distinction between controls and AD patients was 93% sensitive and 93% specific, and even in very mild dementia (at MMSE 24 or higher) sensitivity was still 84% at 93% specificity.
- Significantly abnormal metabolism in mild cognitive deficit (MCI) indicates a high risk to develop dementia within the next two years.
Why it matters
This report describes how PET scanning with FDG measures brain glucose metabolism and shows a pattern of regional impairment in Alzheimer's disease. It is a description of a diagnostic imaging technique, not a treatment, cure, or prevention study.
Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 40/100
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.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Annals of nuclear medicine) |
| Journal's citation record | 1 / 4 | Annals of Nuclear Medicine: journal h-index 79 (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 | 1 / 5 | 2003 — older than 20 years, still counted |
| 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 | 5 / 7 | Cited 218 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 8.7 citations a year over 25 year(s) since 2003 |
| Impact for its field and year | 3 / 6 | Cited 6.6× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 4 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 1 / 4 | Cited 9 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Karl Herholz: h-index 90 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 1 / 3 | Max Planck Society: institution h-index 1,183 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre 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 12790355) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 40 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
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Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris
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.
APA 7th
Herholz, K. (2003). PET studies in dementia. Annals of nuclear medicine. https://doi.org/10.1007/bf02988444
Vancouver
Herholz K. PET studies in dementia. Annals of nuclear medicine. 2003. doi:10.1007/bf02988444. PMID: 12790355.
BibTeX
@article{herholz2003-12790355,
author = {Herholz, K.},
title = {{PET studies in dementia}},
journal = {Annals of nuclear medicine},
year = {2003},
doi = {10.1007/bf02988444},
pmid = {12790355},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1007/bf02988444}
}
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