New test at
ETMC helps identify hallmarks of Alzheimer 's disease
A new imaging procedure at ETMC will help doctors'
pinpoint key differences between Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia.
"This is an important step forward in
evaluating patients with signs of cognitive impairment," said Dr. George M.
Plotkin, PhD, MD, of the ETMC Neurological Institute.
Because a definitive diagnosis of Alzheimer's
disease is usually determined upon autopsy, physicians rely on medical history,
clinical examination and a variety of diagnostic tools when evaluating
patients.
"Alzheimer's and many varieties of dementia
have overlapping symptoms," Dr. Plotkin said. "A new agent for use in nuclear medicine
testing has become available and provides an additional, objective tool for
evaluation."
Amyvid™, from Eli Lily, is newly approved by
the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. It is the first and only diagnostic
agent approved for imaging of amyloid plaques in a patient's brain.
"Patients with cognitive symptoms should
discuss this test with their primary care physician to determine if they are
candidates," Dr. Plotkin said.
Since the test is new, it is still under
evaluation by Medicare, so patients will want to discuss potential
out-of-pocket costs vs. benefits.
"For those patients who are proper
candidates, when the test is interpreted by a neuroradiologist and coupled with
an appropriate clinical history, the test can provide important diagnostic
details," Dr. Plotkin said.
PET, or positron emission tomography, scans allow
doctors to see how organs are functioning inside the body by delivering color
contrast images.
Amyvid, which is mildly radioactive, binds
to amyloid plaques in the brain, considered a hallmark characteristic of Alzheimer
's disease. Physicians can get a contrasting view of the presence of plaques on
a computer screen.
A negative Amyvid scan indicates sparse to
no amyloid plaques in the patient's brain
and suggests a patient's
cognitive impairment is less likely to be due to Alzheimer 's disease.
A
positive Amyvid scan indicates moderate to frequent amyloid plaques are
present, and this amount of amyloid plaque is often present in patients with
Alzheimer's disease. It may also be present in patients with other types of
neurologic conditions and in older people with normal cognition.
Amyvid
is considered an adjunct to other diagnostic evaluations. A positive
Amyvid scan does not establish a diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease, or other
cognitive disorder.
"Having
this type of data enhances our understanding of a patient's condition, and in
the future it will also enhance our approach to caring for those with
Alzheimer's by providing predictive information on the patient's progression,"
Dr. Plotkin said. "This scan will also be beneficial as anticipated amyloid
plaque-fighting drugs develop. It will be important to know which patients are
candidates for clinical trials and ultimately for treatments when those drugs arrive
on the market."
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