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Subtracting First Principal Component May Improve 4R Tau Detectability on [ 18 F]Flortaucipir Tau PET
Ryota Satoh, Farwa Ali, Dennis W. Dickson, Val J. Lowe, Keith A. Josephs, Jennifer L. Whitwell. Journal of Nuclear Medicine, 2026-01-22
Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models
Area under the receiver operating characteristic curves differentiating PSP and controls were improved by PC1 subtraction in the frontal white matter (0.54 to 0.67; P = 0.002) and subcortical (0.69 to 0.87; P < 0.001) regions. In the frontal regions, no differences were observed across PSP clinical variants before PC1 subtraction, whereas the PSP-cortical variant showed an SUVR higher than that of the PSP Richardson syndrome and PSP-subcortical variants after PC1 subtraction (adjusted P < 0.05). A correlation with the severity of tau pathology was observed only in the red nucleus before PC1 subtraction, whereas correlations were observed in the precentral, superior frontal gyrus, and red nucleus after PC1 subtraction (adjusted P < 0.05). Our approach enhanced the diagnostic performance of [18F]flortaucipir PET in PSP and increased sensitivity to 4R tau, suggesting that subtracting the first principal component improves the detectability of subtle 4R tau uptake and the potential utility of [18F]flortaucipir PET imaging for non-Alzheimer tauopathies.
Key findings
- Area under the receiver operating characteristic curves differentiating PSP and controls were improved by PC1 subtraction in the frontal white matter (0.54 to 0.67; P = 0.002) and subcortical (0.69 to 0.87; P < 0.001) regions.
- In the frontal regions, no differences were observed across PSP clinical variants before PC1 subtraction, whereas the PSP-cortical variant showed an SUVR higher than that of the PSP Richardson syndrome and PSP-subcortical variants after PC1 subtraction (adjusted P < 0.05).
- A correlation with the severity of tau pathology was observed only in the red nucleus before PC1 subtraction, whereas correlations were observed in the precentral, superior frontal gyrus, and red nucleus after PC1 subtraction (adjusted P < 0.05).
- Our approach enhanced the diagnostic performance of [18F]flortaucipir PET in PSP and increased sensitivity to 4R tau, suggesting that subtracting the first principal component improves the detectability of subtle 4R tau uptake and the potential utility of [18F]flortaucipir PET imaging for non-Alzheimer tauopathies.
Why it matters
Subtracting the first principal component improved [18F]flortaucipir PET's ability to distinguish PSP from controls and increased sensitivity to 4R tau. This is a PET imaging analysis method for non-Alzheimer tauopathies, not a treatment, cure, or prevention.
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Study details
- Participants141
- Evidence strengthModerate
How this study scored 42/100
Published in a peer-reviewed journal. Scored zero for study design, effect reported and randomised / blinded because the record does not state it.
| Component | Points | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Journal tier | 7 / 10 | Tier 3 — peer-reviewed journal (Journal of Nuclear Medicine) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Journal of Nuclear Medicine: journal h-index 230 (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 | 3 / 5 | Rated “moderate” 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 | 2 / 4 | 141 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 | 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 | 3 / 4 | Last-listed author Jennifer L. Whitwell: h-index 80 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | Mayo Clinic: institution h-index 1,606 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 1 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 2 institution(s) in 1 country |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 41571432) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 42 / 100 | — |
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Read the original
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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
Satoh, R., Ali, F., Dickson, D. W., Lowe, V. J., Josephs, K. A., & Whitwell, J. L. (2026). Subtracting First Principal Component May Improve 4R Tau Detectability on [ 18 F]Flortaucipir Tau PET. Journal of Nuclear Medicine. https://doi.org/10.2967/jnumed.125.271019
Vancouver
Satoh R, Ali F, Dickson DW, Lowe VJ, Josephs KA, Whitwell JL. Subtracting First Principal Component May Improve 4R Tau Detectability on [ 18 F]Flortaucipir Tau PET. Journal of Nuclear Medicine. 2026. doi:10.2967/jnumed.125.271019. PMID: 41571432.
BibTeX
@article{satoh2026-41571432,
author = {Satoh, Ryota and Ali, Farwa and Dickson, Dennis W. and Lowe, Val J. and Josephs, Keith A. and Whitwell, Jennifer L.},
title = {{Subtracting First Principal Component May Improve 4R Tau Detectability on [ 18 F]Flortaucipir Tau PET}},
journal = {Journal of Nuclear Medicine},
year = {2026},
doi = {10.2967/jnumed.125.271019},
pmid = {41571432},
url = {https://doi.org/10.2967/jnumed.125.271019}
}
Studies this one cites
Referenced by this study and also in the alzhub library, so you can read them here.