Abstract
Review summarizes contemporary approaches in imaging diagnostic of the neurodegenerative diseases presenting with cognitive deficit. Magnetic resonance imaging plays an essential role, it is including the T2 weighted imaging in the planes perpendicular to the longitudinal axes of the temporal lobes, and isotropic T1 weighted images with isotropic resolution.
In the assessment of the cortical atrophy, the mediotemporal atrophy score (MTA, Scheltens) and posterior atrophy score (PA, Koedam) are used. Fazekas score assesses the hypoxemic-ischemic influences.
When 18F-FDG is used hybrid imaging PET/MRI enables to evaluate the morphological changes, especially within the temporal lobe, with the typical changes of decreased oxidative glycolysis in the temporal lobe ant in the temporoparietal cortex. Targeted method of the Alzheimer disease differentiation is the application of the radiopharmaceutical with the ability to be bind to the amyloid beta.
Confirmation of the accumulation such as molecule - florbetaben or flutemetamol to the amyloid beta within the gray matter supports the setting of the highest probability of Alzheimer disease diagnose. In the differential diagnosis of some so-called Parkinson plus syndromes, such as dementia with Lewy bodies, could play the role also the application of 18F-dihydroxyphenylalanine (FDOPA).