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The Centiloid Project: Standardizing quantitative amyloid plaque estimation by PET
William E. Klunk, Robert A. Koeppe, Julie C. Price, Tammie L.S. Benzinger, Michael D. Devous, William J. Jagust, Keith A. Johnson, Chester A. Mathis et al.. Alzheimer s & Dementia, 2014-10-28
Topic: Amyloid, tau and blood-test diagnosis
Although amyloid imaging with PiB-PET ([C-11]Pittsburgh Compound-B positron emission tomography), and now with F-18-labeled tracers, has produced remarkably consistent qualitative findings across a large number of centers, there has been considerable variability in the exact numbers reported as quantitative outcome measures of tracer retention. In some cases this is as trivial as the choice of units, in some cases it is scanner dependent, and of course, different tracers yield different numbers. Our working group was formed to standardize quantitative amyloid imaging measures by scaling the outcome of each particular analysis method or tracer to a 0 to 100 scale, anchored by young controls (≤ 45 years) and typical Alzheimer's disease patients. The units of this scale have been named "Centiloids." Basically, we describe a "standard" method of analyzing PiB PET data and then a method for scaling any "nonstandard" method of PiB PET analysis (or any other tracer) to the Centiloid scale.
Key findings
- Although amyloid imaging with PiB-PET ([C-11]Pittsburgh Compound-B positron emission tomography), and now with F-18-labeled tracers, has produced remarkably consistent qualitative findings across a large number of centers, there has been considerable variability in the exact numbers reported as quantitative outcome measures of tracer retention.
- In some cases this is as trivial as the choice of units, in some cases it is scanner dependent, and of course, different tracers yield different numbers.
- Our working group was formed to standardize quantitative amyloid imaging measures by scaling the outcome of each particular analysis method or tracer to a 0 to 100 scale, anchored by young controls (≤ 45 years) and typical Alzheimer's disease patients.
- The units of this scale have been named "Centiloids." Basically, we describe a "standard" method of analyzing PiB PET data and then a method for scaling any "nonstandard" method of PiB PET analysis (or any other tracer) to the Centiloid scale.
Why it matters
The Centiloid Project describes a method to standardize quantitative amyloid imaging measures by scaling outcomes to a 0 to 100 scale. It is a standardization effort for research and does not directly address treating, curing, or preventing Alzheimer's disease.
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Study details
- Evidence strengthLow
How this study scored 58/100
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 (Alzheimer s & Dementia) |
| Journal's citation record | 2 / 4 | Alzheimer s & Dementia: journal h-index 228 (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 | 2014 — within 20 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 | 7 / 7 | Cited 1,342 times (OpenAlex, 2026-10-10) |
| Citations per year | 5 / 5 | 95.9 citations a year over 14 year(s) since 2014 |
| Impact for its field and year | 4 / 6 | Cited 17.2× the average for papers of its field and year (OpenAlex FWCI) |
| Cited by studies here | 5 / 6 | Cited by 153 other studies in this library |
| Still being cited | 4 / 4 | Cited 712 times in 2024–2026 (2026 still in progress; OpenAlex) |
| Senior author's track record | 4 / 4 | Last-listed author Mark A. Mintun: h-index 131 (OpenAlex, whole career) |
| Institution's track record | 2 / 3 | University of Michigan: institution h-index 2,240 (OpenAlex) |
| Multi-centre collaboration | 2 / 3 | OpenAlex lists 9 institution(s) in 2 countries |
| Indexed in PubMed | 2 / 2 | Indexed in PubMed (PMID 25443857) |
| Free to read | 2 / 2 | Free to read |
| Total | 58 / 100 | — |
What each of these 20 components measures, and what this score is not →
Read the original
Full text: free to read — OpenAlex lists this copy as free to read: the link above (checked 6 Feb 1020).
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. The record's author list ends in “et al.”, so not every author is named. Check the citation against the original before you use it.
APA 7th
Klunk, W. E., Koeppe, R. A., Price, J. C., Benzinger, T. L., Devous, M. D., Jagust, W. J., et al. (2014). The Centiloid Project: Standardizing quantitative amyloid plaque estimation by PET. Alzheimer s & Dementia. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2014.07.003
Vancouver
Klunk WE, Koeppe RA, Price JC, Benzinger TL, Devous MD, Jagust WJ, et al. The Centiloid Project: Standardizing quantitative amyloid plaque estimation by PET. Alzheimer s & Dementia. 2014. doi:10.1016/j.jalz.2014.07.003. PMID: 25443857.
BibTeX
@article{klunk2014-25443857,
author = {Klunk, William E. and Koeppe, Robert A. and Price, Julie C. and Benzinger, Tammie L.S. and Devous, Michael D. and Jagust, William J. and Johnson, Keith A. and Mathis, Chester A. and others},
title = {{The Centiloid Project: Standardizing quantitative amyloid plaque estimation by PET}},
journal = {Alzheimer s \& Dementia},
year = {2014},
doi = {10.1016/j.jalz.2014.07.003},
pmid = {25443857},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jalz.2014.07.003}
}
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