PET-based molecular imaging in neurodegeneration and dementia: current and emerging radiotracers.
- 1Department of Radiology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA 02114, United States.
- 2Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic Arizona, Phoenix, AZ 85054, United States.
- 3Department of Molecular & Medical Pharmacology, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, University of California, Los Angeles, CA 90095, United States.
Abstract
Positron emission tomography (PET)-based molecular imaging is a clinically important tool for the evaluation of dementia and other neurodegenerative disorders, using radiotracers that target specific molecular and pathophysiological processes. Fluorodeoxyglucose brain PET has historically supported neurodegenerative disorder evaluation through detection of characteristic patterns of regional glucose hypometabolism. In recent years, the molecular imaging of protein aggregates has taken on an increasingly important role. This is evident with the widespread clinical adoption of amyloid PET and early use of tau PET to provide diagnostic and prognostic information for patients with suspected Alzheimer's disease. Additional classes of radiotracers relevant to neurodegenerative diseases are under active investigation, including those targeting neuroinflammation, synaptic density, and α-synuclein aggregates. We review the major classes of PET radiotracers for neurodegenerative diseases, describing their molecular mechanisms, diagnostic performance, and their current and emerging clinical roles in dementia evaluation. Case examples for clinically used tracers illustrate imaging features relevant to diagnosis and characterization of prognosis and treatment effect. Finally, we discuss early developments and current challenges in the development of theranostic approaches and novel radiotracers for neurodegenerative diseases.
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BibTeX
@article{gil2026petbased,
title = {{PET-based molecular imaging in neurodegeneration and dementia: current and emerging radiotracers.}},
author = {Nelson Gil and Priyanka Naik and Mary Ellen Koran and Daniel Silverman and Bashar Kako and John Chen},
journal = {Radiology advances},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.1093/radadv/umag046},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42927299},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - PET-based molecular imaging in neurodegeneration and dementia: current and emerging radiotracers.
AU - Nelson Gil
AU - Priyanka Naik
AU - Mary Ellen Koran
AU - Daniel Silverman
AU - Bashar Kako
AU - John Chen
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/01
JO - Radiology advances
DO - 10.1093/radadv/umag046
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42927299
AB - Positron emission tomography (PET)-based molecular imaging is a clinically important tool for the evaluation of dementia and other neurodegenerative disorders, using radiotracers that target specific molecular and pathophysiological processes. Fluorodeoxyglucose brain PET has historically supported neurodegenerative disorder evaluation through detection of characteristic patterns of regional glucose hypometabolism. In recent years, the molecular imaging of protein aggregates has taken on an increasingly important role. This is evident with the widespread clinical adoption of amyloid PET and early use of tau PET to provide diagnostic and prognostic information for patients with suspected Alzheimer's disease. Additional classes of radiotracers relevant to neurodegenerative diseases are under active investigation, including those targeting neuroinflammation, synaptic density, and α-synuclein aggregates. We review the major classes of PET radiotracers for neurodegenerative diseases, describing their molecular mechanisms, diagnostic performance, and their current and emerging clinical roles in dementia evaluation. Case examples for clinically used tracers illustrate imaging features relevant to diagnosis and characterization of prognosis and treatment effect. Finally, we discuss early developments and current challenges in the development of theranostic approaches and novel radiotracers for neurodegenerative diseases.
SN - 2976-9337
ER -