The relationship of ¹⁸ F-FDG-PET to other common biomarkers of dementia in a clinical cohort with memory deficits

This is the authors' abstract. We don't add key points for this paper.

Background Early biomarker-based diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is essential, particularly with the increasing availability of new therapeutic options. However, the relationship between imaging and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers, especially in the context of 18 Fluorine-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography ( 18 F-FDG-PET), remains insufficiently understood. Objective The aim of this study was the evaluation of the relationship between 18 F-FDG-PET and other common fluid and imaging AD-biomarkers in a clinical cohort of patients with cognitive decline and suspected AD. Methods We included n = 90 patients with cognitive decline and clinically suspected AD that underwent 18 F-FDG-PET imagining at our facility. Clinical and imaging data including patient characteristics, CSF biomarkers, Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), 18 F-FDG-PET and 18 F-Florbetaben-PET were retrospectively analyzed. PET images were quantified in several brain regions. Results 18 F-FDG uptake correlated with CSF amyloid-β (Aβ) 40 , Aβ 42 , and the Aβ 42/40 ratio in several brain regions, but not with regional 18 F-Florbetaben uptake. 18 F-FDG uptake inversely correlated with t-tau and p-tau in CSF. Furthermore, a correlation between MMSE and 18 F-FDG uptake was also detected in several brain regions. 18 F-FDG-PET and its combination with CSF markers showed the highest predictive power for disease severity. Conclusions The study highlights the potential of integrating 18 F-FDG-PET with CSF biomarkers to improve the diagnosis, prognosis, and monitoring of AD, emphasizing the complexity and regional specificity of biomarker interactions in neurodegeneration.