AD dementia is progressive neurodegenerative condition characterized by progressive cognitive decline, memory impairment, and adverse impact on activities of daily living
National Institute on Aging and Alzheimer's Association (NIA-AA) 2011 workgroup recommendations
Phases of AD pathophysiological processes
Preclinical AD
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in AD
AD dementia
AD is pathologic process reflected in specific postmortem histopathologic criteria, which is frequently but not necessarily associated with characteristic dementia syndrome
Probable AD dementia: Clinical syndrome meeting core clinical criteria specified in NIA-AA workgroup report
Possible AD dementia: Clinical syndrome meeting core clinical criteria for AD dementia in terms of nature of cognitive deficits for AD dementia, but either 1) has sudden onset of impairment or demonstrates insufficient historical detail or objective documentation of progression, or 2) has mixed etiological presentation due to evidence of vascular or Lewy body pathology
MCI: Clinical syndrome meeting published core clinical criteria for MCI; generally agreed core features include 1) concern for change in cognition, 2) impairment in one or more cognitive domains, and 3) preservation of independence in functional activities, but 4) not demented
IMAGING
General Features
CT Findings
MR Findings
Nuclear Medicine Findings
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
Staging, Grading, & Classification
Gross Pathologic & Surgical Features
Microscopic Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Consider
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Chandra A et al: Applications of amyloid, tau, and neuroinflammation PET imaging to Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment. Hum Brain Mapp. ePub, 2019
Huang Q et al: Three-dimensional pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling and susceptibility-weighted imaging associated with clinical progression in amnestic mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. Medicine (Baltimore). 98(23):e15972, 2019
Matsuda H et al: Neuroimaging of Alzheimer's disease: focus on amyloid and tau PET. Jpn J Radiol. ePub, 2019
Rabinovici GD et al: Association of Amyloid Positron Emission Tomography With Subsequent Change in Clinical Management Among Medicare Beneficiaries With Mild Cognitive Impairment or Dementia. JAMA. 321(13):1286-1294, 2019
Triviño-Ibáñez EM et al: Impact of amyloid-PET in daily clinical management of patients with cognitive impairment fulfilling appropriate use criteria. Medicine (Baltimore). 98(29):e16509, 2019
Veitch DP et al: Understanding disease progression and improving Alzheimer's disease clinical trials: Recent highlights from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Alzheimers Dement. 15(1):106-152, 2019
Femminella GD et al: Imaging and Molecular Mechanisms of Alzheimer's Disease: A Review. Int J Mol Sci. 19(12), 2018
Morley JE et al: Alzheimer Disease. Clin Geriatr Med. 34(4):591-601, 2018
Xia C et al: Multimodal PET Imaging of Amyloid and Tau Pathology in Alzheimer Disease and Non-Alzheimer Disease Dementias. PET Clin. 12(3):351-359, 2017
Brown RK et al: Brain PET in suspected dementia: patterns of altered FDG metabolism. Radiographics. 34(3):684-701, 2014
Nasrallah IM et al: Multimodality imaging of Alzheimer disease and other neurodegenerative dementias. J Nucl Med. 55(12):2003-11, 2014
Ishii K: PET Approaches for Diagnosis of Dementia. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. Epub ahead of print, 2013
Petrella JR: Neuroimaging and the search for a cure for Alzheimer disease. Radiology. 269(3):671-91, 2013
Croisile B et al: [The new 2011 recommendations of the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association on diagnostic guidelines for Alzheimer's disease: Preclinal stages, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia.] Rev Neurol (Paris). 168(6-7):471-82, 2012
Jack CR Jr: Alzheimer disease: new concepts on its neurobiology and the clinical role imaging will play. Radiology. 263(2):344-61, 2012
Albert MS et al: The diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease: recommendations from the National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer's Association workgroups on diagnostic guidelines for Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement. 7(3):270-9, 2011
McKhann GM et al: The diagnosis of dementia due to Alzheimer's disease: recommendations from the National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer's Association workgroups on diagnostic guidelines for Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement. 7(3):263-9, 2011
Shen Q et al: Volumetric and visual rating of magnetic resonance imaging scans in the diagnosis of amnestic mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement. 7(4):e101-8, 2011
Sperling RA et al: Toward defining the preclinical stages of Alzheimer's disease: recommendations from the National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer's Association workgroups on diagnostic guidelines for Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement. 7(3):280-92, 2011
Dai W et al: Mild cognitive impairment and alzheimer disease: patterns of altered cerebral blood flow at MR imaging. Radiology. 250(3):856-66, 2009
McEvoy LK et al: Alzheimer disease: quantitative structural neuroimaging for detection and prediction of clinical and structural changes in mild cognitive impairment. Radiology. 251(1):195-205, 2009
Duara R et al: Medial temporal lobe atrophy on MRI scans and the diagnosis of Alzheimer disease. Neurology. 71(24):1986-92, 2008
Petrella JR et al: Cortical deactivation in mild cognitive impairment: high-field-strength functional MR imaging. Radiology. 2007 Oct;245(1):224-35. Erratum in: Radiology. 246(1):338, 2008
Norfray JF et al: Alzheimer's disease: neuropathologic findings and recent advances in imaging. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 182(1):3-13, 2004
Related Anatomy
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Related Differential Diagnoses
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References
Tables
Tables
KEY FACTS
Terminology
Imaging
Top Differential Diagnoses
Clinical Issues
Diagnostic Checklist
TERMINOLOGY
Abbreviations
Alzheimer disease (AD)
Synonyms
Senile/presenile dementia of Alzheimer type
Definitions
AD dementia is progressive neurodegenerative condition characterized by progressive cognitive decline, memory impairment, and adverse impact on activities of daily living
National Institute on Aging and Alzheimer's Association (NIA-AA) 2011 workgroup recommendations
Phases of AD pathophysiological processes
Preclinical AD
Mild cognitive impairment (MCI) in AD
AD dementia
AD is pathologic process reflected in specific postmortem histopathologic criteria, which is frequently but not necessarily associated with characteristic dementia syndrome
Probable AD dementia: Clinical syndrome meeting core clinical criteria specified in NIA-AA workgroup report
Possible AD dementia: Clinical syndrome meeting core clinical criteria for AD dementia in terms of nature of cognitive deficits for AD dementia, but either 1) has sudden onset of impairment or demonstrates insufficient historical detail or objective documentation of progression, or 2) has mixed etiological presentation due to evidence of vascular or Lewy body pathology
MCI: Clinical syndrome meeting published core clinical criteria for MCI; generally agreed core features include 1) concern for change in cognition, 2) impairment in one or more cognitive domains, and 3) preservation of independence in functional activities, but 4) not demented
IMAGING
General Features
CT Findings
MR Findings
Nuclear Medicine Findings
Imaging Recommendations
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS
PATHOLOGY
General Features
Staging, Grading, & Classification
Gross Pathologic & Surgical Features
Microscopic Features
CLINICAL ISSUES
Presentation
Demographics
Natural History & Prognosis
Treatment
DIAGNOSTIC CHECKLIST
Consider
Image Interpretation Pearls
Selected References
Chandra A et al: Applications of amyloid, tau, and neuroinflammation PET imaging to Alzheimer's disease and mild cognitive impairment. Hum Brain Mapp. ePub, 2019
Huang Q et al: Three-dimensional pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling and susceptibility-weighted imaging associated with clinical progression in amnestic mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. Medicine (Baltimore). 98(23):e15972, 2019
Matsuda H et al: Neuroimaging of Alzheimer's disease: focus on amyloid and tau PET. Jpn J Radiol. ePub, 2019
Rabinovici GD et al: Association of Amyloid Positron Emission Tomography With Subsequent Change in Clinical Management Among Medicare Beneficiaries With Mild Cognitive Impairment or Dementia. JAMA. 321(13):1286-1294, 2019
Triviño-Ibáñez EM et al: Impact of amyloid-PET in daily clinical management of patients with cognitive impairment fulfilling appropriate use criteria. Medicine (Baltimore). 98(29):e16509, 2019
Veitch DP et al: Understanding disease progression and improving Alzheimer's disease clinical trials: Recent highlights from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative. Alzheimers Dement. 15(1):106-152, 2019
Femminella GD et al: Imaging and Molecular Mechanisms of Alzheimer's Disease: A Review. Int J Mol Sci. 19(12), 2018
Morley JE et al: Alzheimer Disease. Clin Geriatr Med. 34(4):591-601, 2018
Xia C et al: Multimodal PET Imaging of Amyloid and Tau Pathology in Alzheimer Disease and Non-Alzheimer Disease Dementias. PET Clin. 12(3):351-359, 2017
Brown RK et al: Brain PET in suspected dementia: patterns of altered FDG metabolism. Radiographics. 34(3):684-701, 2014
Nasrallah IM et al: Multimodality imaging of Alzheimer disease and other neurodegenerative dementias. J Nucl Med. 55(12):2003-11, 2014
Ishii K: PET Approaches for Diagnosis of Dementia. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. Epub ahead of print, 2013
Petrella JR: Neuroimaging and the search for a cure for Alzheimer disease. Radiology. 269(3):671-91, 2013
Croisile B et al: [The new 2011 recommendations of the National Institute on Aging and the Alzheimer's Association on diagnostic guidelines for Alzheimer's disease: Preclinal stages, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia.] Rev Neurol (Paris). 168(6-7):471-82, 2012
Jack CR Jr: Alzheimer disease: new concepts on its neurobiology and the clinical role imaging will play. Radiology. 263(2):344-61, 2012
Albert MS et al: The diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment due to Alzheimer's disease: recommendations from the National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer's Association workgroups on diagnostic guidelines for Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement. 7(3):270-9, 2011
McKhann GM et al: The diagnosis of dementia due to Alzheimer's disease: recommendations from the National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer's Association workgroups on diagnostic guidelines for Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement. 7(3):263-9, 2011
Shen Q et al: Volumetric and visual rating of magnetic resonance imaging scans in the diagnosis of amnestic mild cognitive impairment and Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement. 7(4):e101-8, 2011
Sperling RA et al: Toward defining the preclinical stages of Alzheimer's disease: recommendations from the National Institute on Aging-Alzheimer's Association workgroups on diagnostic guidelines for Alzheimer's disease. Alzheimers Dement. 7(3):280-92, 2011
Dai W et al: Mild cognitive impairment and alzheimer disease: patterns of altered cerebral blood flow at MR imaging. Radiology. 250(3):856-66, 2009
McEvoy LK et al: Alzheimer disease: quantitative structural neuroimaging for detection and prediction of clinical and structural changes in mild cognitive impairment. Radiology. 251(1):195-205, 2009
Duara R et al: Medial temporal lobe atrophy on MRI scans and the diagnosis of Alzheimer disease. Neurology. 71(24):1986-92, 2008
Petrella JR et al: Cortical deactivation in mild cognitive impairment: high-field-strength functional MR imaging. Radiology. 2007 Oct;245(1):224-35. Erratum in: Radiology. 246(1):338, 2008
Norfray JF et al: Alzheimer's disease: neuropathologic findings and recent advances in imaging. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 182(1):3-13, 2004
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