Prof. dr. Ph. Scheltens
VUmc Alzheimer Center
Netherlands
The Dutch Flutemetamol in Young Onset Dementia Study
alzheimer nederland
200,000
01/01/2013
4
Neuropathologically, Alzheimers Disease (AD) is characterized by amyloid plaques and neurofibrillary tangles. Development of the positron emission tomography (PET) tracer [11C]Pittsburgh compound-B ([11C]PIB) has for the first time enabled the visualization of amyloid-beta (A?) in vivo, and evidence shows high sensitivity and specificity in separating AD from controls. However, [11C]PIB-PET can only be used where an on-site cyclotron is available for production, hampering its widespread implementation. [18F]-tracers, which do not require on-site production are therefore more suitable to be used by many more centers and enable studying the discriminatory value in the clinical setting. Recently, [18F]Flutemetamol has become available for study. In the present study we aim to establish the clinical value of [18F]Flutemetamol PET imaging in patients with young onset dementia, in which a firm and accurate diagnosis of AD constitutes an important first step in future management. The clinical value of [18F]Flutemetamol PET in patients with young onset dementia will be investigated in terms of 1) change in (level of confidence of) diagnosis; 2) impact on patient healthcare management; 3) diagnostic accuracy of final diagnosis at 2 years follow-up; and 4) cost-effectiveness.
http://alzheimer.vps9.dolphiq.nl/onderzoek/investeringen/pet-scan-bij-alzheimer.aspx