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55/100

✓ Peer-reviewed alzhub usefulness score 55 out of 100. Brain scans and imaging

Topic: Brain proteins, microglia and lab models

The advent of PET ligands that bind tau pathology has enabled the quantification and visualization of tau pathology in aging and in Alzheimer disease (AD). There is strong evidence from neuropathologic studies that the most widely used tau PET tracers (i.e., 18 F-flortaucipir, 18 F-MK6240, 18 F-RO948, and 18 F-PI2620) bind tau aggregates formed in AD in the more advanced (i.e., ≥IV) Braak stages. However, tracer binding in most non-AD tauopathies is weaker and overlaps to a large extent with known off-target binding regions, limiting the quantification and visualization of non-AD tau pathology in vivo. Off-target binding is generally present in the substantia nigra, basal ganglia, pituitary, choroid plexus, longitudinal sinuses, meninges, or skull in a tracer-specific manner. Most cross-sectional studies use the inferior aspect of the cerebellar gray matter as a reference region, whereas for longitudinal analyses, an eroded white matter reference region is sometimes selected. No consensus has yet been reached on whether to use partial-volume correction of tau PET data. Although an increased neocortical tau PET signal is rare in cognitively unimpaired individuals, even in amyloid-β-positive cases, such a signal holds important prognostic information because preliminary data suggest that an elevated tau PET signal predicts cognitive decline over time. Also, in symptomatic stages of AD (i.e., mild cognitive impairment or AD dementia), tau PET shows great potential as a prognostic marker because an elevated baseline tau PET retention forecasts future cognitive decline and brain atrophy. For differential diagnostic use, the primary utility of tau PET is to differentiate AD dementia from other neurodegenerative diseases, as is in line with the conditions for the approval of 18 F-flortaucipir by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for clinical use. The differential diagnostic performance drops substantially at the mild-cognitive-impairment stage of AD, and there is no sufficient evidence for detection of sporadic non-AD primary tauopathies at the individual level for any of the currently available tau PET tracers. In conclusion, while the field is currently addressing outstanding methodologic issues, tau PET is gradually moving toward clinical application as a diagnostic and possibly prognostic marker in dementia expert centers and as a tool for selecting participants, assessing target engagement, and monitoring treatment effects in clinical trials.

Cite this study APA, Vancouver, BibTeX · download .bib or .ris

APA 7th

Groot, C., Villeneuve, S., Smith, R., Hansson, O., & Ossenkoppele, R. (2022). Tau PET Imaging in Neurodegenerative Disorders. Journal of nuclear medicine : official publication, Society of Nuclear Medicine. https://doi.org/10.2967/jnumed.121.263196

Vancouver

Groot C, Villeneuve S, Smith R, Hansson O, Ossenkoppele R. Tau PET Imaging in Neurodegenerative Disorders. Journal of nuclear medicine : official publication, Society of Nuclear Medicine. 2022. doi:10.2967/jnumed.121.263196. PMID: 35649647.

BibTeX

@article{groot2022-35649647,
  author  = {Groot, C. and Villeneuve, S. and Smith, R. and Hansson, O. and Ossenkoppele, R.},
  title   = {{Tau PET Imaging in Neurodegenerative Disorders}},
  journal = {Journal of nuclear medicine : official publication, Society of Nuclear Medicine},
  year    = {2022},
  doi     = {10.2967/jnumed.121.263196},
  pmid    = {35649647},
  url     = {https://doi.org/10.2967/jnumed.121.263196}
}

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Key findings

Although an increased neocortical tau PET signal is rare in cognitively unimpaired individuals, even in amyloid-β-positive cases, such a signal holds important prognostic information because preliminary data suggest that an elevated tau PET signal predicts cognitive decline over time.
In conclusion, while the field is currently addressing outstanding methodologic issues, tau PET is gradually moving toward clinical application as a diagnostic and possibly prognostic marker in dementia expert centers and as a tool for selecting participants, assessing target engagement, and monitoring treatment effects in clinical trials.

Why it matters

This review describes tau PET imaging, noting that the main tracers bind tau aggregates in more advanced Braak stages of Alzheimer's and that preliminary data suggest an elevated tau PET signal predicts cognitive decline over time. It is moving toward use as a diagnostic and possibly prognostic marker, but it is an imaging method and not a treatment or cure.

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Study details

Study designcross-sectional
Evidence strengthModerate

How this study scored 55/100

Published in a peer-reviewed journal, and it is a snapshot of people at one point in time. Scored zero for 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 (Journal of nuclear medicine : official publication, Society of Nuclear Medicine)
Journal's citation record	2 / 4	Journal of Nuclear Medicine: journal h-index 230 (OpenAlex, 2026-10-29)
Study design	4 / 12	A snapshot of people at one point in time
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	3 / 5	2022 — within 6 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	5 / 7	Cited 135 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10)
Citations per year	4 / 5	22.5 citations a year over 6 year(s) since 2022
Impact for its field and year	4 / 6	Cited 13.4× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI)
Cited by studies here	2 / 6	Cited by 9 other studies in this library
Still being cited	3 / 4	Cited 116 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex)
Senior author's track record	3 / 4	Last-listed author Rik Ossenkoppele: h-index 84 (OpenAlex, whole career)
Institution's track record	1 / 3	McGill University: institution h-index 1,373 (OpenAlex)
Multi-centre collaboration	2 / 3	OpenAlex lists 7 institution(s) in 3 countries
Indexed in PubMed	2 / 2	Indexed in PubMed (PMID 35649647)
Free to read	0 / 2	Behind a paywall — scores zero
Total	55 / 100	—

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