Detecting Dementia and Alzheimer's Disease

Alzheimer’s is a common cause for dementia. Patients are often misdiagnosed for years, meaning that effective treatment is delayed for too long. PET/CT is an excellent tool for the diagnosis and detection of Alzheimer’s, even at very early stages.

The disease can be identified or excluded using one of 2 tracers: either by looking at the pattern of brain metabolism using 18F-FDG, or by looking at the density of beta-amyloid neuritic plaque in the brain with 18F-Florbetaben (called Neuraceq).

If you are concerned that you may have Alzheimer's or another type of dementia, it is highly recommended that you get a diagnosis that is backed up by specific biological evidence.

The UCLA Brain Wellness Center specializes precisely in answering this kind of diagnostic question.