Dementia and Alzheimer's disease are difficult to diagnose before the onset of classic symptoms like memory loss. But a network of 200 scientists have developed a tool using MR imaging that can measure the telltale signs of the diseases earlier.

The tool uses a new, noninvasive technique to measure blood flow to the brain called Arterial Spin Labelling (ASL). Clinicians can determine whether brain cells are being nourished with oxygen and glucose — if there is a low rate of blood flow to neuronal cells that may suggest something is wrong.

This year, about 5.4 million Americans have Alzheimer's disease and it, along with other forms of dementia, will cost the U.S. $236 billion, according to the Alzheimer's Association. The pharmaceutical industry is working to develop therapies that can stop the progression of the disease and the imaging industry is developing technologies that can diagnose dementia before classic symptoms manifest.
ASL has been under development for 15 years around the world and because of that, there were many different methodologies and techniques. But that made it difficult for the scientists because they didn't know where to start or how to achieve the best results.

Members of COST Action, which brought the 200 scientists and industry experts together to develop the ASL technique, rigorously analyzed literature to find the best method to measure blood flow. That led to a paper that was published in January 2015 and has since become a reference.

The three main MR manufacturers — GE Healthcare, Siemens Healthineers and Philips Healthcare — are already using the tool. In addition, the spinoff company, Gold Standard Phantoms Limited, has raised £1.1 million from the U.K.'s National Health Service to improve the calibration of the ASL devices.

The members of the COST Action are currently working with the Quantitative Imaging Biomarker Alliance (QIBA) to have ASL globally recognized as a biomarker for dementia.

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