Home › Research › Biomarkers
Signs and Artifacts in Amyloid PET
Lundeen TF, Seibyl JP, Covington MF, Eshghi N, Kuo PH.. Radiographics : a review publication of the Radiological Society of North America, Inc, 2018-11-01
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Establishing a diagnosis of Alzheimer dementia can be challenging, particularly early in the course of the disease. However, with disease-modifying therapies on the horizon, it is becoming increasingly important to achieve the correct diagnosis as soon as possible. In challenging presentations of dementia, such as patients with clinically atypical features or early-age onset of mild cognitive impairment, amyloid PET is a valuable tool in determining the diagnosis of Alzheimer dementia. Furthermore, preliminary data show that amyloid PET findings alter clinical management in patients who meet the appropriate use criteria. There are currently three U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved fluorine 18 ( 18 F)-labeled radiopharmaceuticals that allow in vivo detection of cerebral amyloid deposition, which is a hallmark pathologic feature of Alzheimer dementia. Knowledge of the common imaging features among these three 18 F-labeled radiopharmaceuticals in the normal and abnormal brain will enable the radiologist to more accurately interpret amyloid PET studies. As in other subspecialties of radiology, imaging signs in amyloid PET are helpful to distinguish if a region is normal or abnormal. This article reviews appropriate use criteria for amyloid PET, introduces the properties of the radiopharmaceuticals, explains the algorithmic approach to interpretation with examples of normal and abnormal amyloid PET scans with MRI correlation, and provides an atlas of regional amyloid PET signs and common artifacts. © RSNA, 2018.
Key findings
- Furthermore, preliminary data show that amyloid PET findings alter clinical management in patients who meet the appropriate use criteria.
- Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved fluorine 18 ( 18 F)-labeled radiopharmaceuticals that allow in vivo detection of cerebral amyloid deposition, which is a hallmark pathologic feature of Alzheimer dementia.
- Knowledge of the common imaging features among these three 18 F-labeled radiopharmaceuticals in the normal and abnormal brain will enable the radiologist to more accurately interpret amyloid PET studies.
- As in other subspecialties of radiology, imaging signs in amyloid PET are helpful to distinguish if a region is normal or abnormal.
- This article reviews appropriate use criteria for amyloid PET, introduces the properties of the radiopharmaceuticals, explains the algorithmic approach to interpretation with examples of normal and abnormal amyloid PET scans with MRI correlation, and provides an atlas of regional amyloid PET signs and common artifacts.
Why it matters
This review describes imaging signs and artifacts in amyloid PET and notes that preliminary data show amyloid PET findings alter clinical management in patients meeting appropriate use criteria. It concerns interpretation and diagnosis and does not test any 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 44/100
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 (Radiographics : a review publication of the Radiological Society of North America, Inc) |
| Journal's citation record | 3 / 4 | Radiographics: journal h-index 265 (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 | 2 / 5 | 2018 — within 10 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 | 4 / 7 | Cited 91 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 3 / 5 | 9.1 citations a year over 10 year(s) since 2018 |
| Impact for its field and year | 2 / 6 | Cited 2.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 2 / 6 | Cited by 8 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 2 / 4 | Cited 46 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 2 / 4 | Last-listed author Phillip H. Kuo: h-index 29 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Washington University in St. Louis: institution h-index 1,962 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 4 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 30422768) |
| Free to read | 0 / 2 | Behind a paywall — scores zero |
| Total | 44 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
May need a subscription Unpaywall, Europe PMC and OpenAlex found no free copy of the full text (checked 10 Oct 2026), so the publisher may charge for it. The PubMed abstract is free.
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
Lundeen, T. F., Seibyl, J. P., Covington, M. F., Eshghi, N., & Kuo, P. H. (2018). Signs and Artifacts in Amyloid PET. Radiographics : a review publication of the Radiological Society of North America, Inc. https://doi.org/10.1148/rg.2018180160
Vancouver
Lundeen TF, Seibyl JP, Covington MF, Eshghi N, Kuo PH. Signs and Artifacts in Amyloid PET. Radiographics : a review publication of the Radiological Society of North America, Inc. 2018. doi:10.1148/rg.2018180160. PMID: 30422768.
BibTeX
@article{lundeen2018-30422768,
author = {Lundeen, T. F. and Seibyl, J. P. and Covington, M. F. and Eshghi, N. and Kuo, P. H.},
title = {{Signs and Artifacts in Amyloid PET}},
journal = {Radiographics : a review publication of the Radiological Society of North America, Inc},
year = {2018},
doi = {10.1148/rg.2018180160},
pmid = {30422768},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1148/rg.2018180160}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here. Showing 12 of 16.
Later studies that cite this one
8 studies in the alzhub library list this one in their references.
Related studies in Biomarkers
Also tagged “classification”
835 studies in the library carry the topic tag “classification”; these are this study's neighbours in a fixed, alphabetical-by-hash tour of them, not the closest in content. All 835 tagged studies.