Resumo

RUEDA-O., Andrea del Pilar  e  ENRIQUEZ-S., Luis Fernando. A REVIEW OF BASIC NEUROIMAGING TECHNIQUES IN DIAGNOSIS OF NEURODEGENERATIVE DISEASES. Biosalud [online]. 2018, vol.17, n.2, pp.59-90. ISSN 1657-9550.  https://doi.org/10.17151/biosa.2018.17.2.5.

Currently, neurodegenerative disorders represent a serious public health problem, with an increasing prevalence worldwide. Even though there has been an attempt to harmonize the diagnostic criteria for these disorders, there are still obstacles that hinder their correct differentiation, leading to subsequent errors in therapeutic stages. This review aims to demonstrate the potential of three neuroimaging techniques (positron emission tomography, diffusion-weighted magnetic resonance, and structural magnetic resonance) in the identification of discriminating biomarkers that support the diagnostic process in three of the most common neurodegenerative disorders (Alzheimer’s disease, Mild Cognitive Impairment, frontotemporal dementia). A review was done via an electronic literature search. The use of ScienceDirect, PubMed, SciELO, and IEEE databases to find information on representative structural and functional findings, as well as the diagnostic power of these techniques, is highlighted. As the studies confirm, neuroimages show their potential to establish patterns in the differentiation of neurodegenerative disorders. The structural magnetic resonance remains as a central tool in the identification of cortical and subcortical atrophy patterns. On the other hand, advances in positron emission tomography have enabled not only antemortem diagnosis but also early preclinical identification. Likewise, the recent approach of diffusion magnetic resonance allows to characterizing the microstructural integrity of the cerebral white matter and its relationship with cognitive deterioration in the context of the neurodegenerative disorder. By integrating information from different domains, the clinically accepted tools are supported, guaranteeing better diagnostic accuracy and the prediction of the onset of the disorder. The results show that through multimodal approaches, multicenter collaborations, harmonization of methodologies and acquisition parameters it is possible to include these tools in the clinical repertoire for the identification of these disorders.

Palavras-chave : diagnostic imaging; biomarkers; magnetic resonance imaging; diffusion magnetic resonance imaging; positron-emission tomography; Alzheimer disease; mild cognitive impairment; frontotemporal dementia.

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