Neuroimaging In Dementia

This up-to-date, superbly illustrated book is a practical guide to the effective use of neuroimaging in the patient with cognitive decline. It sets out the key clinical and imaging features of the various causes of dementia and directs the reader from clinical presentation to neuroimaging and on to an accurate diagnosis whenever possible. After an introductory chapter on the clinical background, the available "toolbox" of structural and functional neuroimaging techniques is reviewed in detail, including CT, MRI and advanced MR techniques, SPECT and PET, and image analysis methods. The imaging findings in normal ageing are then discussed, followed by a series of chapters that carefully present and analyze the key findings in patients with dementias. Throughout, a practical approach is adopted, geared specifically to the needs of clinicians (neurologists, radiologists, psychiatrists, geriatricians) working in the field of dementia, for whom this book will prove an invaluable resource.

This open access book offers an essential overview of brain, head and neck, and spine imaging. Over the last few years, there have been considerable advances in this area, driven by both clinical and technological developments. Written by leading international experts and teachers, the chapters are disease-oriented and cover all relevant imaging modalities, with a focus on magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography. The book also includes a synopsis of pediatric imaging. IDKD books are rewritten (not merely updated) every four years, which means they offer a comprehensive review of the state-of-the-art in imaging. The book is clearly structured and features learning objectives, abstracts, subheadings, tables and take-home points, supported by design elements to help readers navigate the text. It will particularly appeal to general radiologists, radiology residents, and interventional radiologists who want to update their diagnostic expertise, as well as clinicians from other specialties who are interested in imaging for their patient care.

Dementia is a massive and increasing global problem, with the current prevalence anticipated to double every 20 years as people live longer. Neuroimaging in dementia is recommended by most clinical guidelines and its role has traditionally been to exclude a mass lesion, rather than to support a specific diagnosis. All radiologists will be aware of a steady rise in the number of requests for brain imaging in old people, but what can imaging reliably tell us and what kind of imaging should we use? In affluent societies we now have a range of structural and molecular brain imaging techniques at our disposal, with specific ligands and sophisticated image analysis techniques now available for clinical use. However, we have difficulty justifying which patients to scan, using which modality and when. We know that Alzheimer’s disease is the most common neuropathology contributing to a diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease but we also know from large post-mortem studies that most brain pathology in those who have died with a diagnosis of dementia is mixed. Thus understanding different diseases that can cause dementia, how these co-exist or interact and appreciating that not all dementia is Alzheimer’s disease is important. Equally important is awareness of individual differences in response to a neuropathological burden and what factors provide resilience against dementia that might be maximized to reduce or postpone its impact. This issue draws together contributions from experts in their fields to provide clarity to the topic in a comprehensive collection of articles.

This book helps physicians select from among the currently available imaging tools, promoting the correct and cost-saving diagnosis and management of common dementias. Magnetic resonance (MR) and nuclear medicine techniques are routinely used to facilitate diagnosis, select therapies, provide information regarding the prognosis, and monitor therapy response in patients with cognitive impairment and dementia. Furthermore, the advent of quantitative MR techniques, such as diffusion-weighted imaging, perfusion imaging, etc. have opened up new opportunities to diagnose neurological diseases based on objective findings, and offer unique new insights into the main neurodegenerative diseases of the human brain. However, the practical value of various neuroimaging techniques in clinical practice has yet to be clearly defined, and their potential for future development is not yet fully appreciated. To help remedy the situation, this book offers practical and useful algorithms and rules that can be directly applied in the clinical setting. It provides concise content, together with a wealth of clinical case material.

This book describes the latest modalities such as tau PET imaging for diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias, and also provides information on handling and analyzing imaging data that is not found in other books. In addition, it introduces routine imaging studies in the management of dementia in Japan. The prevalence of dementia has increased over the past few decades, either because of greater awareness and more accurate diagnosis, or because increased longevity has created a larger population of the elderly, the age group most commonly affected. Although only clinical assessment can lead to a diagnosis of dementia, neuroimaging in dementia is recommended by most clinical guidelines, and its adjunct role has traditionally been to exclude a mass lesion rather than to support a specific diagnosis. Neuroimaging may be also helpful for developing new strategies to achieve diagnoses as early as possible for therapies aimed at slowing the progression of neurodegenerative diseases manifesting dementia. Under these conditions, all clinicians and researchers who are involved in neuroimaging for dementia should decide which patients to scan, when imaging patients is most useful, which modality to use, how to handle imaging data from many institutions, and which analytical tool to use. This edition comprises contributions from leading Japanese experts in their fields.

Distils the most valuable discoveries in dementia research into clear, insightful chapters written by international experts.

PET and SPECT in Neurology highlight the combined expertise of renowned authors whose dedication to the investigation of neurological disorders through nuclear medicine technology has achieved international recognition. Classical neurodegenerative disorders are discussed as well as cerebrovascular disorders, brain tumors, epilepsy, head trauma, coma, sleeping disorders and inflammatory and infectious diseases of the CNS. The latest results in nuclear brain imaging are detailed. Most chapters are written jointly by a clinical neurologist and a nuclear medicine specialist to ensure a multidisciplinary approach. This state-of-the-art compendium will be valuable not only to neurologists and radiologists/nuclear medicine specialists but also to interested general practitioners and geriatricians. It is the second volume of a trilogy on PET and SPECT imaging in the neurosciences, the other volumes covering PET and SPECT in psychiatry and in neurobiological systems.

Single photon emission computerized tomography (SPECT) is a relatively cheap and widely available instrument for the examination of brain perfusion, cerebral blood flow and activity of neurotransmitter systems. The European project 'SPECT in dementia' sets out to overcome some of the factors holding back the development of clinical neuroimaging. It has developed a methodology for combining results from different imaging centres, at the same time making scan assessment more objective and powerful. Moreover, using objective voxel-based methods of image analysis improves the diagnostic performance of less-experienced clinicians and contributes to their training. This publication gives an excellent general overview of the new methods of image analysis and sharing. It is complemented by a systematic review of the diagnostic utility of SPECT in dementia and a cost-effectiveness model of diagnostic improvements in Alzheimers disease. This book is essential reading for all scientists, economists and clinicians in geriatric medicine, neurology and psychiatry, neuro-radiology and nuclear medicine working with patients suffering from dementia and Alzheimer's disease, who want to stay ahead in this rapid developing field.