PET Scans Measuring Glucose More Effective at Assessing Alzheimer’s Progression than Amyloid Scans, Study Finds
New research has found that measuring glucose PET scans are better indicators of the advancement of Alzheimer's disease compared to amyloid PET scans. A medical trial targeting beta-amyloid plaque was carried out. It indicates that toxic proteins and shortage of glucose in the brain as people get old can lead to Alzheimer's disease. The research carried out in Perelman School of Medicine in the University of Pennsylvania, and Thomas Jefferson University shows that FDG-PET makes a better diagnosis on the progress of Alzheimer's disease and MCI compared to florbetapir-PET scans which measure amyloid levels. The FDG PET scan checks the brain's glucose intake and its effect on neurons, thus providing the doctor with a better understanding of Alzheimer treatments work. FDG-PET and florbetapir-PET scans are recommendable diagnosis methods for Alzheimer’s disease. They also appear to show a form of cognitive impairment. However, studies reveal that FDG-PET is much p