MUNICH, Germany, Oct. 5 (UPI) -- German scientists say positron emission tomography, or PET scans, might be helpful in detecting Alzheimer's disease in some patients.
A study by the Technical University of Munich found PET imaging using the radiotracer fluorodeoxyglucose can detect the disease in patients who have mild cognitive impairment.
"PET imaging with FDG represents one of the most promising tools for diagnosis of Alzheimer's," said the lead author of the research, Dr. Alexander Drzezga of the school's department of nuclear medicine. In fact, he said using PET imaging with FDG "may be the best indicator for determining which MCI patients are most at risk of developing Alzheimer's."
Patients with mild cognitive impairment exhibit the criteria for the diagnosis of dementia, but the disorder is seen as a precursor to Alzheimer's disease, said Drzezga.
Alzheimer's is the most common form of dementia among older people, and affects more than 4.5 million Americans. It is a progressive, irreversible brain disorder with no known cause or cure.
Drzezga said most MCI patients who showed abnormalities typical of Alzheimer's in their original PET scan developed dementia within 16 months.
The research appears in the Journal of Nuclear Medicine.
