Karger Publishers, Dementia and Geriatric Cognitive Disorders Extra, 3(4), p. 431-441, 2014
DOI: 10.1159/000363761
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<b><i>Background:</i></b> Posterior cortical atrophy (PCA) is characterized by progressive higher-order visuoperceptual dysfunction and praxis declines. This syndrome is related to a number of underlying diseases, including, in most cases, Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aim of this study was to compare the amyloid load with <sup>18</sup>F-AV45 positron emission tomography (PET) between PCA and AD subjects. <b><i>Methods:</i></b> We performed <sup>18</sup>F-AV45 PET, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarker analysis and a neuropsychological assessment in 11 PCA patients and 12 AD patients. <b><i>Results:</i></b> The global and regional <sup>18</sup>F-AV45 uptake was similar in the PCA and AD groups. No significant correlation was observed between global <sup>18</sup>F-AV45 uptake and CSF biomarkers or between regional <sup>18</sup>F-AV45 uptake and cognitive and affective symptoms. <b><i>Conclusion:</i></b> This <sup>18</sup>F-AV45 PET amyloid imaging study showed no specific regional pattern of cortical <sup>18</sup>F-AV45 binding in PCA patients. These results confirm that a distinct clinical phenotype in amnestic AD and PCA is not related to amyloid distribution.