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Published in: European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging 9/2020

01-08-2020 | Original Article

A kinetics-based approach to amyloid PET semi-quantification

Authors: A. Chincarini, E. Peira, M. Corosu, S. Morbelli, M. Bauckneht, S. Capitanio, M. Pardini, D. Arnaldi, C. Vellani, D. D’Ambrosio, V. Garibotto, F. Assal, B. Paghera, G. Savelli, A. Stefanelli, U. P. Guerra, F. Nobili

Published in: European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging | Issue 9/2020

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Abstract

Purpose

To develop and validate a semi-quantification method (time-delayed ratio, TDr) applied to amyloid PET scans, based on tracer kinetics information.

Methods

The TDr method requires two static scans per subject: one early (~ 0–10 min after the injection) and one late (typically 50–70 min or 90–100 min after the injection, depending on the tracer). High perfusion regions are delineated on the early scan and applied onto the late scan. A SUVr-like ratio is calculated between the average intensities in the high perfusion regions and the late scan hotspot. TDr was applied to a naturalistic multicenter dataset of 143 subjects acquired with [18F]florbetapir. TDr values are compared to visual evaluation, cortical–cerebellar SUVr, and to the geometrical semi-quantification method ELBA. All three methods are gauged versus the heterogeneity of the dataset.

Results

TDr shows excellent agreement with respect to the binary visual assessment (AUC = 0.99) and significantly correlates with both validated semi-quantification methods, reaching a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.86 with respect to ELBA.

Conclusions

TDr is an alternative approach to previously validated ones (SUVr and ELBA). It requires minimal image processing; it is independent on predefined regions of interest and does not require MR registration. Besides, it takes advantage on the availability of early scans which are becoming common practice while imposing a negligible added patient discomfort.
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Metadata
Title
A kinetics-based approach to amyloid PET semi-quantification
Authors
A. Chincarini
E. Peira
M. Corosu
S. Morbelli
M. Bauckneht
S. Capitanio
M. Pardini
D. Arnaldi
C. Vellani
D. D’Ambrosio
V. Garibotto
F. Assal
B. Paghera
G. Savelli
A. Stefanelli
U. P. Guerra
F. Nobili
Publication date
01-08-2020
Publisher
Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in
European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging / Issue 9/2020
Print ISSN: 1619-7070
Electronic ISSN: 1619-7089
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-020-04689-y

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