Magnetic resonance and single-photon emission tomography findings in a pair of twins discordant for Alzheimer's disease

J Neuroimaging. 1996 Apr;6(2):76-80. doi: 10.1111/jon19966276.

Abstract

The value of functional and morphological neuroimaging in the early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD) is still debated. Described here are cerebral perfusion and linear measures of medial temporal lobe atrophy in 2 monozygotic twins discordant for AD who were investigated with technetium 99m-hexamethylpropy-leneamineoxime single-photon emission tomography (SPET) and magnetic resonance (MR) imaging. Both showed pathological cortical perfusion findings on SPET, while medical temporal lobe atrophy was present only in the affected twin. MR measures of medial temporal lobe atrophy have greater agreement with clinical data than do SPET measures of cerebral perfusion. Evaluation of atrophy may be useful in the early diagnosis of AD.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Activities of Daily Living
  • Alzheimer Disease / diagnosis
  • Alzheimer Disease / diagnostic imaging
  • Alzheimer Disease / genetics*
  • Atrophy
  • Cerebrovascular Circulation
  • Diseases in Twins*
  • Electroencephalography
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging*
  • Middle Aged
  • Organotechnetium Compounds
  • Oximes
  • Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime
  • Temporal Lobe / diagnostic imaging
  • Temporal Lobe / pathology
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*
  • Twins, Monozygotic*

Substances

  • Organotechnetium Compounds
  • Oximes
  • Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime