Seoul criteria for PiB(-) subcortical vascular dementia based on clinical and MRI variables

Geon Ha Kim1, Jae Hong Lee, Sang Won Seo

  • 1From the Department of Neurology (G.H.K., J.H.J.), Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital, Ewha Womans University School of Medicine, Seoul; Departments of Neurology (J.H.L.) and Nuclear Medicine (S.J.O., J.S.K.), Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul; Departments of Neurology (S.W.S., B.S.Y., H.C., H.J.K., J.H.C., D.L.N.), Nuclear Medicine (Y.S.C., K.H.L.), and Radiology (S.T.K.), Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul; Department of Neurology (Y.N.), Gachon University Gil Medical Center, Incheon; and Department of Neurology (C.W.Y.), Inha University Hospital, Inha University School of Medicine, Incheon, Korea.

Neurology
|April 1, 2014
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

New criteria using age, lacunes, and medial temporal atrophy (MTA) can differentiate Pittsburgh compound B (PiB)-negative from PiB-positive subcortical vascular dementia (SVaD). This helps identify SVaD patients with lower risk of Alzheimer disease pathology.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Neuroimaging
  • Dementia Research

Background:

  • Subcortical vascular dementia (SVaD) diagnosis can be challenging.
  • Differentiating amyloid-positive (PiB-positive) from amyloid-negative (PiB-negative) SVaD is crucial for understanding underlying pathology.
  • Amyloid deposition, detected by Pittsburgh compound B (PiB) Positron Emission Tomography (PET), is a key biomarker.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To develop and validate new criteria for distinguishing PiB-negative from PiB-positive SVaD.
  • To utilize clinical and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) variables for this differentiation.
  • To improve diagnostic accuracy in SVaD patients.

Main Methods:

  • 77 SVaD patients underwent PiB-PET to measure brain amyloid deposition.
  • Patients met DSM-IV criteria for vascular dementia and had severe white matter hyperintensities on MRI.
  • Eleven models were tested using age, number of lacunes, medial temporal atrophy (MTA), and APOE ε4 to differentiate PiB-negative from PiB-positive SVaD.

Main Results:

  • 63.6% of patients were PiB-negative, and 36.4% were PiB-positive.
  • The optimal model for differentiation included age ≤ 75 years, ≥ 5 lacunes, and MTA ≤ 3.
  • This model achieved an accuracy of 67.5% in differentiating PiB-negative from PiB-positive SVaD.

Conclusions:

  • In SVaD patients with severe white matter hyperintensities, younger age, more lacunes, and less MTA predict a PiB-negative scan.
  • These findings suggest a lower likelihood of Alzheimer disease pathology in these patients.
  • The proposed criteria offer a valuable tool for clinical differentiation within SVaD.