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Updated: May 8, 2026
09:31
Visualization of Amyloid β Deposits in the Human Brain with Matrix-assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Imaging Mass Spectrometry
Published on: March 7, 2019
Clinical amyloid imaging in logopenic progressive aphasia
Mario F Mendez1, Valeriy Sabodash
1Departments of *Neurology †Psychiatry & Biobehavioral Sciences, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles ‡Neurobehavior Unit, V.A. Greater Los Angeles Healthcare Center, Los Angeles, CA.
Alzheimer Disease and Associated Disorders
|September 3, 2013
Summary
Florbetapir (Amyvid) PET scans show amyloid deposition in logopenic progressive aphasia (LPA), an Alzheimer disease variant. This helps diagnose early-onset, nonamnestic cognitive complaints, aiding Alzheimer disease assessment.
Area of Science:
- Neurology
- Neuroimaging
- Biomarkers
Background:
- Alzheimer disease (AD) diagnosis can be challenging in young patients with nonamnestic cognitive complaints.
- Logopenic progressive aphasia (LPA) is a common variant of early-onset AD presenting with language difficulties.
- Distinguishing LPA from other progressive aphasias requires advanced diagnostic tools.
Observation:
- Florbetapir (Amyvid) positron emission tomography (PET) imaging was used to evaluate 3 LPA patients.
- Patients were compared with age- and severity-matched individuals with typical amnestic AD.
- Fluorodeoxyglucose-PET revealed focal hypometabolism in the left temporoparietal regions in LPA patients.
Findings:
- Florbetapir PET scans showed diffuse amyloid deposition in all LPA patients.
- Amyloid deposition patterns in LPA did not differ from those in typical amnestic AD.
- Clinical amyloid imaging is valuable for detecting Alzheimer pathology in early-onset and nonamnestic presentations.
Implications:
- Florbetapir PET imaging can significantly aid in the clinical evaluation of nonamnestic cognitive complaints suggestive of AD.
- This biomarker facilitates the assessment of beta-amyloid pathology in challenging early-onset AD cases.
- Amyloid PET imaging represents a major advancement in diagnosing Alzheimer disease variants like LPA.
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