Aggregated Tau Measured by Visual Interpretation of Flortaucipir Positron Emission Tomography and the Associated Risk of Clinical Progression of Mild Cognitive Impairment and Alzheimer Disease

Abstract

Alzheimer disease (AD) is characterized pathologically by tau neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs)¹ and β amyloid plaques (Aβ).^2,3 Neuropathologic criteria for the diagnosis of AD requires proof of the presence of both amyloid plaques and tangles.⁴ Neuropathology studies^5-8 suggest that elevation of Aβ and NFTs are both associated with dementia severity in patients with AD, although the association is stronger for NFTs.^9-11 Therefore, accurately detecting tau burden in living patients might help to not only establish an AD diagnosis¹² but also to predict a patient’s likelihood of clinical progression.