The role of neuroimaging in dementia

Potential new therapies for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease demand early and accurate diagnosis. Although clinical evaluation is generally sufficient when the disease is well established, neuroimaging tools are helpful to detect the earliest changes of Alzheimer's disease or differentiate Alzheimer's disease from the other forms of dementia. This article reviews the basic concepts of brain imaging and clinical application. It concludes with a brief discussion of future directions in neuroimaging for the diagnosis and longitudinal follow-up of Alzheimer's disease.