I just had a PET scan of my brain, at my neurologist's request. He's concerned about the number of symptoms, I think he wants it to help in correct diagnosing so he can medicate me better.

Would the Care Consultant, and others with experience, please comment on how useful they've found PET scans to be? Should I expect something definitive, or could it just be more muddle? Thanks!

Dear Alan in Colorado,

A report published online Jan. 21 by the journal Annals of Neurology noted that the
the PET imaging method with PIB Compound was successfully used in a small study to detect the presence of beta-amyloid in the brains of people with Alzheimer’s disease. In a colorized PET scan of the brain, an area with the highest concentration of beta-amyloid should “light up” red and the area with no beta-amyloid should appear blue. The investigators found that compared with the scans of healthy participants, the scans of people with Alzheimer’s disease showed significantly more red (high concentrations of amyloid) in regions of the brain known to be severely damaged by Alzheimer’s. These findings demonstrate that we now have a tool to detect plaques, one of the two well-known hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease in living patients (the other is tangles). Until now, this could only be done at autopsy or by brain biopsy. These findings, if verified in further investigations, could also have a significant impact on drug development.

“Imaging Brain Amyloid in Alzheimer’s Disease Using the Novel Positron Emission Tomography Tracer, Pittsburgh Compound-B,” by William Klunk, MD, PhD, of the University if Pittsburgh and colleagues, is the study name.

The following article attached to this link (http://www.alz.org/news_and_events_alzheimer_news_02-16-2005.asp) will also provide you with further information on how the PET brain scan is helpful.

Following are some of the challenges:
The study mentioned above is a small trial. Many more patients need to be studied to confirm and extend these findings. And, many nondemented people have some amyloid in their brains; so it is not obvious that this compound will be absolutely specific for Alzheimer’s disease.

A possible benefit of the PET scan is the potential for early detection. Amyloid imaging may help identify individuals who are at high risk of getting Alzheimer’s before symptoms become evident. We now know that changes in the brain associated with Alzheimer’s disease may begin 10, 20 even 30 years before there are any outward physical signs or symptoms. This new technology may also help us see those changes as they are taking place.

I hope this information is helpful for you. If you would like further information regarding recent studies, you may contact the Greenfield Library via phone at 312-335-9602 or 1-800-272-3900 and ask to be transferred to the Green-Field Library. You may also request information from the library by sending a fax to 1.866.699.1238. or an e-mail to greenfield@alz.org.

You are welcome to call us if you would like to talk to a Care Consultant about the testing process or other disease issues. Thank you for using the Alzheimer's Association Online Community.

Sincerely,

Mini V.