Introduction
Imaging biomarkers such as volumetric MRI PET amyloid and tau imaging support diagnosis staging and monitoring of neurodegenerative diseases. Quantitative MRI measures of atrophy and diffusion changes correlate with clinical decline. Molecular PET provides specific pathology detection that informs diagnosis and trial enrollment.
MRI Biomarkers
Volumetric hippocampal and cortical atrophy measures and diffusion metrics aid in early detection and differential diagnosis of dementia syndromes. Standardized acquisition and automated segmentation tools improve reproducibility. Longitudinal imaging tracks disease progression and therapeutic effects.
Molecular Imaging
Amyloid and tau PET identify pathologic protein deposition and support diagnosis and patient selection for targeted therapies. FDG PET assesses metabolic patterns that differentiate neurodegenerative disorders. Integration of molecular and structural imaging enhances diagnostic accuracy.
Clinical and Research Use
Imaging biomarkers are used in clinical trials for patient selection and as surrogate endpoints and increasingly inform clinical diagnosis and prognosis. Harmonization and accessibility of tracers and standardized analysis pipelines are ongoing priorities. Multidisciplinary collaboration between neurology radiology and nuclear medicine advances biomarker development.