Molecular imaging by MRI of brain amyloid burden for Alzheimer's disease diagnosis
What is it about?
The diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a critical step in the management of patients’ treatment. We have developed a non-invasive diagnosis tool based on the visualization, by a clinical imaging method, of amyloid beta peptide, which accumulates and aggregates in the brain of AD patients.
Why is it important?
Aiming to detect amyloid burden in the brain of AD patients, we have developed an imaging probe for Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). This imaging probe is coupled with a peptide that specifically binds amyloid beta peptide independently of its state of aggregation, which means that it may detect the amyloid burden at earlier stages of the disease. This imaging probe has optimal pharmacologic properties, namely the lack of toxicity, both in vitro and in vivo, a high affinity against its target, the amyloid beta peptide, pharmacokinetic parameters that allow its accumulation in the brain, and a capacity to cross the blood-brain barrier without any crossing strategy. In addition, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) seems to be an optimal alternative to nuclear and NIFR imaging technologies due to its high anatomical resolution, large penetration depth and its typical non-invasiveness enabling iterative patient monitoring.