Imaging biomarkers in Alzheimer's disease: added value in the clinical setting

Over the last 20 years the availability of magnetic resonance imaging and positron-emission tomography technologies as well as of cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers has allowed research and clinical approach to Alzheimer's disease (AD) to move towards the earliest manifestations of the disease. This new approach resulted in an increasing knowledge about in-vivo biological and neuropathological processes of each phase of the AD-related damage from preclinical, to mild cognitive impairment, and finally to dementia due to AD. The present narrative review deals with the available data as well as with the unsolved issued related to the incorporation of AD biomarkers into the clinical practice. Ongoing research efforts aiming to better define and implement the use of imaging AD biomarkers in clinical practice according to a patient-centered approach and sustainability for clinical-care systems are also discussed.