Dementia & PET Scans: 5 Facts

Today we have a guest post from Kat Sanders from the MRI Tech Health Blog.  She gives us some valuable info on PET scans and how they may be helpful in dementia.  Read on.....

PET (positron emission tomography) scans are becoming increasingly useful in helping researchers study the onset of dementia. These scans use the nuclear medicine imaging technique to produce three dimensional images of functional processes in the human body. If you’re looking for the connection between PET scans and dementia, here are five facts based on studies conducted in different parts of the world:

 

·        PET scans help in distinguishing Alzheimer’s disease from other forms of dementia: A study conducted at the University of Utah has found that an FDG-PET scan helps doctors correctly diagnose whether patients are suffering from Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia known as frontotemporal dementia (FTD). FDG is flourodeoxyglucose, a radioactive form of sugar that is injected into people to show different activity levels in the brain. Alzheimer’s is characterized by low activity in the back part of the brain while FTD is characterized by low activity in the front.

·        PET scans can predict if memory lapses have the potential to turn into dementia: If you find yourself forgetting things all the time, a PET scan can help you find out if your memory lapses are more serious than they appear to be. According to research conducted at the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA), the scan allows doctors to predict if age-related memory lapses will turn into dementia in the years to come.

·        PET scans can detect early stages of Alzheimer’s disease: If you’re worried that you’re at risk for developing Alzheimer’s, a PET scan can help you find out for sure. Researchers at UCLA have found this imaging technique helpful in detecting the early stages of Alzheimer’s, a fact that helps in early intervention, management and treatment of the disease.

·        PET scans can predict your chances of developing dementia: According to research at the New York University School of Medicine, PET scans allow doctors to study metabolic changes that occur in particular regions of the brain long before you start showing any signs of memory loss, thus helping to predict your chances of developing dementia after a few years. This helps identify those at risk for Alzheimer’s disease and provide them with the necessary treatment at the earliest.

·        PET scans can show actual build-up of damaging protein in the brain: A study conducted at the Univesity of Kuipio in Finland has proved that PET scans are extremely useful in diagnosing dementia because they are capable of showing the actual buildup of the damaging protein beta-amyloid in the brain. This protein increase is significant in patients with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia.

 Thanks Kat  for sharing that interesting information.  One thing we've talked about before with PET scans--the high cost often makes it difficult for regular use.  Has your family member with dementia had a PET scan?  Let us know about it.

This article was written by Kat Sanders, who regularly blogs on the topic of MRI technologist schools at her blog MRI Tech's Health Blog. She welcomes your comments and questions at her email address: katsanders25@gmail.com.