Frontotemporal lobar degeneration with tauopathy caused by MAPT (microtubule-associated protein tau) mutations is a condition with a wide range of symptoms. Therefore, understanding disease pathogenesis and predicting clinical trajectories may benefit from the capacity to view and longitudinally monitor tau deposits. For a study, researchers sought to examine the cross-sectional and longitudinal imaging findings of 18F-APN-1607 positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) in MAPT mutation carriers.
Seven MAPT mutation carriers (six inside exon 10 and one outside of exon 10) and 15 healthy control patients were included in the study. At the outset, all subjects had 18F-APN-1607 PET/CT. Three exons and 10 mutation carriers had their 18F-APN-1607 PET/CT scans repeated. The cerebellum gray matter was used as the reference area to generate standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) maps. The SUVR values found in MAPT mutation carriers were adjusted to those seen in healthy control participants. To identify positive 18F-APN-1607 PET/CT results, a regional SUVR z score of ≥ 2 was chosen as the criteria.
Despite having diverse clinical characteristics, all seven research patients demonstrated considerable 18F-APN-1607 uptake, as evidenced by high-contrast signals. The anatomical placement of tau deposits, on the other hand, differed amongst patients with different clinical symptoms. In addition, three patients’ follow-up imaging data revealed deteriorating trends in tau accumulation patterns over time, which corresponded to a considerable clinical deterioration. The findings indicate that 18F-APN-1607 PET/CT imaging can be used to identify tau buildup in MAPT mutation carriers.
Reference:movementdisorders.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/mds.28867
