The relationship of 18F-FDG-PET to other common biomarkers of dementia in a clinical cohort with memory deficits.

BACKGROUND

Early biomarker-based diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is essential, particularly with the increasing availability of new therapeutic options. However, the relationship between imaging and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers, especially in the context of 18Fluorine-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET), remains insufficiently understood.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was the evaluation of the relationship between 18F-FDG-PET and other common fluid and imaging AD-biomarkers in a clinical cohort of patients with cognitive decline and suspected AD.

METHODS

We included n = 90 patients with cognitive decline and clinically suspected AD that underwent 18F-FDG-PET imagining at our facility. Clinical and imaging data including patient characteristics, CSF biomarkers, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), 18F-FDG-PET and 18F-Florbetaben-PET were retrospectively analyzed. PET images were quantified in several brain regions.

RESULTS

18F-FDG uptake correlated with CSF amyloid-β (Aβ)40, Aβ42, and the Aβ42/40 ratio in several brain regions, but not with regional 18F-Florbetaben uptake. 18F-FDG uptake inversely correlated with t-tau and p-tau in CSF. Furthermore, a correlation between MMSE and 18F-FDG uptake was also detected in several brain regions. 18F-FDG-PET and its combination with CSF markers showed the highest predictive power for disease severity.

CONCLUSIONS

The study highlights the potential of integrating 18F-FDG-PET with CSF biomarkers to improve the diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of AD, emphasizing the complexity and regional specificity of biomarker interactions in neurodegeneration.