Development of Automated Software Program for the Analysis of Alzheimer's Disease Beta-Amyloid Scans

Clinical trials are now underway for the commercialization of radiopharmaceuticals that target beta amyloid, a compound that requires quantification for the diagnosis of Alzheimer¿s Disease (AD). This project will develop an automated software processing package that will objectively yield quantitative regional uptake values for evaluating the efficacy of these radiopharmaceuticals for measuring the beta amyloid load. This study is designed to reflect the way in which the scan and automated analysis package will be used in a real world clinical setting, and will provide information in a format most useful to physicians referring AD patients for scans. In Phase I, a fully-automated Objective and Generalized Tracer Evaluation (OGRE) package was developed and carried through preclinical validation. Phase II will apply the OGRE analysis package (1) to an ongoing radio-tracer evaluation program, in order to determine the degree to which the technique reduces the variance associated with imaging; and (2) to a prospective clinical study, in order to assess the utility of the technique as an aid in the diagnosis and monitoring of Alzheimer¿s patients. Commercial Applications and other Benefits as described by the awardee: It is anticipated that OGRE would co-evolve with the new beta amyloid radiopharmaceuticals and would emerge as a clinically-accepted software analysis package for the diagnosis of Alzheimer¿s disease.