Prediction of Outcomes in Mild Cognitive Impairment by Using 18F-FDG-PET: A Multicenter Study

Background: 18F-FDG-PET is defined as a biomarker of neuronal injury according to the revised National Institute on Aging–Alzheimer’s Association criteria. Objective: The objective of this multicenter prospective cohort study was to examine the value of 18F-FDG-PET in predicting the development of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) in patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Methods: In total, 114 patients with MCI at 9 participating institutions underwent clinical and neuropsychological examinations, MRI, and 18F-FDG-PET at baseline. The cases were visually classified into predefined dementia patterns by three experts. An automated analysis for 18F-FDG-PET was also performed to calculate the PET score. Subjects were followed periodically for 3 years, and progression to dementia was evaluated. ∗Correspondence to: Kengo Ito, Department of Clinical and Experimental Neuroimaging, National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, 7-430, Morioka-cho, Obu-shi, Aichi 474-8511, Japan. Tel.: +81 562 46 2311; Fax: +81 562 44 6596; E-mail: kito@