Alzheimer's Research & Therapy


Review

Role of structural MRI in Alzheimer's disease

Prashanthi Vemuri* and Clifford R Jack

Author Affiliations

Aging and Dementia Imaging Research Laboratory, Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic and Foundation, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN 55905, USA

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Alzheimer's Research & Therapy 2010, 2:23 doi:10.1186/alzrt47

Published: 31 August 2010

Abstract

Atrophy measured on structural magnetic resonance imaging (sMRI) is a powerful biomarker of the stage and intensity of the neurodegenerative aspect of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathology. In this review, we will discuss the role of sMRI as an AD biomarker by summarizing (a) the most commonly used methods to extract information from sMRI images, (b) the different roles in which sMRI can be used as an AD biomarker, and (c) comparisons of sMRI with other major AD biomarkers.