Pearls and Pitfalls of 18F-FDG PET/CT for Suspected Alzheimer’s Disease in Patient with Down Syndrome
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23 June 2026

Pearls and Pitfalls of 18F-FDG PET/CT for Suspected Alzheimer’s Disease in Patient with Down Syndrome

Mol Imaging Radionucl Ther. Published online 23 June 2026.
1. University of Utah Department of Radiology and Imaging Sciences, Salt Lake City, USA
No information available.
No information available
Received Date: 22.12.2025
Accepted Date: 29.05.2026
E-Pub Date: 23.06.2026
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Abstract

Dementia in individuals with Down syndrome (DS) is the leading cause of early-onset cognitive decline occurring before the age of 50. However, establishing an accurate diagnosis remains particularly challenging due to pre-existing intellectual disability, variability in baseline cognitive function, and the limited reliability of standard neuropsychological assessments. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (18F-FDG PET) plays a critical role in identifying underlying neurodegenerative processes and supporting the diagnosis. We present a case of DS with multiple known and unknown pathologies identified on brain 18F-FDG PET and a confirmed diagnosis of early-onset mild Alzheimer’s disease.

Keywords:
18F-FDG, dementia, Alzheimer, Down syndrome

Ethics

Informed Consent: The written and verbal informed consent was obtained from the patient and his custodian.

Authorship Contributions

Surgical and Medical Practices: E.A., Concept: E.A., S.M., Design: E.A., S.M., Data Collection or Processing: E.A., Analysis or Interpretation: E.A., S.M., Literature Search: E.A., Writing: E.A.
Conflict of Interest: No conflicts of interest were declared by the authors.
Financial Disclosure: The authors declare that this study has received no financial support.

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