Imaging tau and amyloid-β proteinopathies in Alzheimer disease and other conditions

The clinical phenotypes of patients with proteinopathies do not always enable identification of the underlying cause of the disorder, especially in early diseaseBy contrast, biochemical and imaging biomarkers can identify, even at presymptomatic stages, the underlying proteinopathy likely to cause the diseaseImaging biomarkers of pathology and neuronal injury can also help to stage these diseasesAmyloid-β and tau imaging studies can aid in patient selection, assess target engagement and monitor intervention efficacy in disease-specific treatment trialsIncorporation of biochemical and imaging biomarkers into new diagnostic criteria for Alzheimer disease offers a rational and flexible diagnostic approach that does not require the presence of dementiaIntegration of biochemical and imaging biomarker findings with cognitive assessment is also expected to improve the predictive paradigm for Alzheimer disease