Siemens Healthineers upgrades PET Software to advance Alzheimer’s diagnosis

GERMANY—Siemens Healthineers has received the CE Mark for two novel features in its PET Cortical Analysis software application.

This advanced software leverages positron emission tomography (PET) technology to quantify protein deposits in the brain linked to Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia.

The first notable feature introduced is Centiloid scoring, which standardizes the measurement of brain amyloid plaques in PET scans.

This feature is compatible with three commercially available beta-amyloid PET radiopharmaceuticals, making it essential for accurate Alzheimer’s diagnosis.

Centiloid scoring is particularly significant for both diagnosing and managing patients and for designing clinical trials for therapies aimed at modifying Alzheimer’s disease.

This feature employs a standardized 100-point scale to enable clinicians to assess beta-amyloid plaque levels through PET imaging, allowing for comparison of results across various PET scanners and tracers.

The need for standardized beta-amyloid measurements has increased dramatically, particularly in light of the recent FDA approval of new therapeutic drugs intended to alleviate cognitive and functional decline in patients experiencing mild cognitive impairment or mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease.

In addition to Centiloid scoring, Siemens Healthineers has introduced tau PET quantification, which facilitates the evaluation and quantification of tau protein tangles in the brain.

This feature utilizes PET images captured with the radiopharmaceutical flortaucipir.

The tau PET quantification method employs Braak staging—a six-stage model that details the progression of tau pathology in the brain.

This staging system is closely correlated with cognitive impairment levels, where more advanced stages tend to correspond with severe clinical symptoms.

Tau PET has played a crucial role in recent drug trials targeting amyloid, assisting in patient stratification, drug management, and the assessment of treatment responses.

Given tau’s significant association with disease severity, numerous investigational tau-targeted therapies are currently undergoing various phases of clinical development, highlighting the essential role of tau PET quantification in these studies.

In his remarks, Martin Cordell, PhD, the director of product lifecycle management at Siemens Healthineers Molecular Imaging, highlighted the significance of these new features.

He noted that quantifying amyloid plaque and tau protein accumulation in Alzheimer’s patients provides clinicians with vital diagnostic and staging information.

He further remarked on the integration of Centiloid scoring and tau PET quantification into the syngo.PET Cortical Analysis software enhances its comprehensive portfolio for detecting, diagnosing, monitoring, and managing Alzheimer’s disease.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), over 55 million individuals are currently living with dementia worldwide, with a staggering 60% residing in low- and middle-income countries, with nearly 10 million new cases are diagnosed each year.

The dual accumulation of beta-amyloid plaques and tau protein tangles in the brain characterises Alzheimer’s disease.

These plaques manifest in different regions at varying rates as individuals age.

The interplay between these pathologies leads to neurodegeneration, resulting in cognitive decline and clinical deterioration.

Dementia is now recognised as the seventh leading cause of death globally and significantly contributes to disability and dependency among the elderly.

In 2019, the economic burden of dementia was estimated at approximately US$1.3 trillion, with around 50% of these costs arising from informal caregivers, who typically provide an average of five hours of care and supervision each day.

Women are disproportionately affected by dementia, experiencing higher rates of disability-adjusted life years and mortality associated with the disease but also accounting for 70% of the care hours devoted to dementia patients.

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