INTERUNCAL DISTANCE - MARKER OF AGING AND ALZHEIMER-DISEASE

PURPOSE: To evaluate the utility of a recently reported simple measure of brain atrophy on MR imaging, the interuncal distance (IUD). METHOD S: Measurements of the IUD were made over a 12-month interval in 10 pa tients with probable early Alzheimer disease and in a comparison group of age-matched healthy control subjects. The measurements were made i n both the transaxial and coronal planes. RESULTS: Significant group d ifferences for the coronal measurement of IUD were found in both the a bsolute value of the measurement and the IUD corrected for head size. There was overlap in IUD between the disease and the control groups. T hese differences were not found for the transaxial IUD. Significant po sitive correlations of the IUD with Mini-Mental State Examination scor e and Clinical Dementia Rating Scale stage were observed. Over the age range tested, age was not significantly correlated with IUD in the sa mple. CONCLUSIONS: The interuncal distance IUD is not a useful screeni ng measurement for Alzheimer disease.