Differentiating dementia with Lewy bodies and Alzheimer’s disease using MRI
SUMMARY Despite the characteristic clinical differences between dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD), a large degree of overlap exists. In particular, the clinical diagnostic criteria for DLB lack sensitivity so that many cases of DLB will be missed during life. MRI techniques offer a noninvasive method to assess the brain structure and function in more detail. In particular, advanced MRI methods such as diffusion-tensor imaging, functional MRI, arterial spin labeling (perfusion) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy may offer more sensitive methods to detect early and, possibly, preclinical change in dementia and contribute to our understanding of the differences between AD and DLB. This paper provides an overview of MRI changes in DLB and AD, the relationship to other imaging modalities such as single-photon emission computed tomography and PET, highlighting the differences between the conditions currently applicable to the clinical setting, as well as recent developments in MRI methods yet to be translated into large-scale clinical studies.