Distinguishing patients with senile dementia of Alzheimer type and normal elderly subjects utilizing xenon CT-CBF and...

Local cerebral blood flow (LCBF) was measured in 17 patients with senile dementia of Alzheimer type (SDAT) and 17 normal controls, utilizing stable xenon computed tomography (Xe CT-CBF). In patients with SDAT, LCBF values were decreased in the cerebral cortex and subcortical structures including the thalamus, basal ganglia and white matter of both hemispheres. Linear discriminant function analysis of LCBF values separated patients with SDAT from normal elderly subjects, with an error of 8.8%. Variables helpful in distinguishing SDAT patients from normal subjects were LCBF values for the frontal and temporal cortex. Multiple regression equation for predicting cognitive performance scores from LCBF values showed the best correlations with LCBF values for the frontal and occipital cortex and thalamus. Xe CT-CBF measurements provide useful information concerning diagnosis and brain function in patients with SDAT.