Imaging brings new hope for Alzheimer’s Disease

[23 May 2007 - 07h05]
[mis à jour le 23 May 2007 à 10h51]

Researchers in Finland have succeeded in diagnosing Alzheimer’s Disease in patients suffering from simple memory problems before the disease actually develops. They were able to do this by using the very latest in medical imaging – the Pet-Scan.

Taking a cohort of 27 elderly individuals, some of whom showed memory problems, the researchers were able to measure the deposits of amyloidal plaques in the brain. These plaques, which are formed of a protein, are markers for Alzheimer’s Disease.

According to the authors, these deposits were 39% more common among individuals with memory problems. “This result suggests that these patients are at an early stage of the disease”. However, this has still to be confirmed – or disproved – through studies with larger cohorts.

Used mainly in the study of cancer, Pet-Scans may now become an important tool for diagnosing Alzheimer’s Disease. So it is all the more important that France is now suitably equipped to deal with this. The stock available has risen from 7 scanners in 2000 to 61 scanners today. Which is almost one per million inhabitants.

As Professor Xavier Marchandise of the Central Department of Nuclear Medicine and Functional Imaging at Lille University Hospital explains, “after lagging far behind countries such as the United States, Japan, Germany and Belgium, in 2001 France launched a major programme to equip its hospitals with Pet-Scanners. Our stock is now the best in Europe. But it’s only by pursuing this programme that we will be able to maintain this level of excellence”.

Source : Neurology, 7 May 2007, Interview with Professor Xavier Marchandise

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