STRUCTURAL MAGNETIC-RESONANCE-IMAGING IN DIAGNOSIS AND RESEARCH OF ALZHEIMERS-DISEASE

One of the most widely used neuroimaging procedures in Psychiatry and Neurology is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). MRI has gained the posi tion of a standard investigation in the differential diagnosis of deme ntia syndromes. In the clinical diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) MRI helps to improve the diagnostical accuracy. Recently new MRI-based techniques for performing volumetric measurement of cortical and subc ortical structures have been developed. First reports indicate that MR I-based volumetric measurements can be accurate in differentiating AD patients from cognitively normal elderly individuals. These new techni ques may be useful adjunct in assessing the clinical diagnosis of AD. Results could also yield insight in the fundamental pathology of the d egenerative disease. It is the objective of this chapter to summarize and comment on the significance of MRI in the diagnosis and research o f AD. Future directions are outlined, including the use of microscopic MRI,the differentiation of white matter signal hyperintensities and t he combined evaluation of stuctural MRI and functional imaging techniq ues.