Comparison of simplified parametric methods for visual interpretation of 11C-Pittsburgh compound-B PET images

This study compared several parametric imaging methods to determine the optimal approach for visual assessment of parametric Pittsburgh compound-B ((11)C-PIB) PET images to detect cortical amyloid deposition in different memory clinic patient groups.

Dynamic (11)C-PIB scanning of 120 memory clinic patients was performed. Parametric nondisplaceable binding potential (BPND) images were compared with standardized uptake value (SUV) and SUV ratio images. Images were visually assessed by 3 independent readers, and both interreader and intermethod agreement was determined.

Both 90-min (Fleiss κ = 0.88) and 60-min (Fleiss κ = 0.89) BPND images showed excellent interreader agreement, whereas agreement was good to moderate for SUV ratio images (Fleiss κ = 0.68) and SUV images (Fleiss κ = 0.59). Intermethod agreement varied substantially between readers, although BPND images consistently showed the best performance.

The use of BPND images provided the highest interreader and intermethod agreement and is therefore the method of choice for optimal visual interpretation of (11)C-PIB PET scans.