An Automatic Threshold-Based Scaling Method for Enhancing the Usefulness of Tc-HMPAO SPECT in the Diagnosis of Alzheimer's Disease

Functional imaging of the brain can aid in the diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. Tc-HMPAO SPECT is widely available and relatively inexpensive to use. Combined with computer-based analysis of images, SPECT is a powerful tool in detecting decreases in brain perfusion caused by Alzheimer’s disease. However, analysis can falsely elevate the perfusion of normal areas and diminish the perfusion of atrophic areas in the Alzheimer’s brain when used with conventional scaling methods. In this paper, we present a technique for scaling images that overcomes the problems associated with conventional scaling methods. Our technique was successful in eliminating or attenuating the false increases in perfusion shown in probable Alzheimer’s patients in over 90% of cases (n=17), and in enhancing the sensitivity of detection of degenerative changes by Statistical Parametric Mapping.

[1]  R Iwata,et al.  Assessment of cancer recurrence in residual tumors after fractionated radiotherapy: a comparison of fluorodeoxyglucose, L-methionine and thymidine. , 1997, Journal of nuclear medicine : official publication, Society of Nuclear Medicine.

[2]  Nick C. Fox,et al.  The boundary shift integral: an accurate and robust measure of cerebral volume changes from registered repeat MRI , 1997, IEEE Transactions on Medical Imaging.

[3]  Nick C Fox,et al.  Brain atrophy progression measured from registered serial MRI: Validation and application to alzheimer's disease , 1997, Journal of magnetic resonance imaging : JMRI.

[4]  G D Pearlson,et al.  CT measurement of suprasellar cistern predicts rate of cognitive decline in Alzheimer's disease , 1996, Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society.

[5]  P. Pietrini,et al.  Early Detection of Alzheimer's Disease: A Statistical Approach Using Positron Emission Tomographic Data , 1993, Journal of cerebral blood flow and metabolism : official journal of the International Society of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism.

[6]  Nick C Fox,et al.  Accurate registration of serial 3D MR brain images and its application to visualizing change in neurodegenerative disorders. , 1996, Journal of computer assisted tomography.

[7]  R A Murden The diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. , 1990, Advances in experimental medicine and biology.

[8]  H. Mayberg,et al.  Clinical correlates of PET- and SPECT-identified defects in dementia. , 1994, The Journal of clinical psychiatry.

[9]  S. Eagger,et al.  Morphologic (CT) and functional (rCBF-SPECT) correlates in Alzheimer's disease. , 1992, Nuclear medicine communications.

[10]  Karl J. Friston,et al.  Commentary and Opinion: II. Statistical Parametric Mapping: Ontology and Current Issues , 1995, Journal of cerebral blood flow and metabolism : official journal of the International Society of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism.

[11]  Karl J. Friston,et al.  Statistical parametric maps in functional imaging: A general linear approach , 1994 .

[12]  I Lemahieu,et al.  Recent and future evolutions in NeuroSPECT with particular emphasis on the synergistic use and fusion of imaging modalities. , 1997, Acta neurologica Belgica.

[13]  Morris Freedman,et al.  Usefulness of Follow‐up Regional Cerebral Blood Flow Measurements by Single‐Photon Emission Computed Tomography in the Differential Diagnosis of Dementia , 1996, Journal of neuroimaging : official journal of the American Society of Neuroimaging.

[14]  J. Mazziotta,et al.  Automated image registration , 1993 .

[15]  Nick C Fox,et al.  Visualisation and quantification of rates of atrophy in Alzheimer's disease , 1996, The Lancet.

[16]  N. Kennedy,et al.  The value of HMPAO SPECT scanning in the diagnosis of early Alzheimer's disease in patients attending a memory clinic , 1994, Nuclear medicine communications.