Abstract #0721

Schuff N, Zhang Y, Jahng G, Bayne W, Mori S, Schad L, Mueller S, Weiner M, Jagust W, Kramer J, Yaffe K, Chui H

Diffusion tension imaging (DTI) was used to determine the usefulness of degradation of cingulum fibers in diagnosis of mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and Alzheimers disease (AD). The result showed that degradation of the cingulum fibers measured by fractional anisotropy (FA) was already detectable in MCI and becomes more regionally widespread in AD. Furthermore, adding DTI to hippocampal volume significantly improved the classification of MCI and AD from normal aging. In conclusion, assessment of cingulum fibers using DTI is more powerful than assessment of hippocampal atrophy for early changes in MCI and therefore may be a sensitive marker for AD pathology.