Alzheimer's Disease
Currently, 4 million people in the US are living with Alzheimer's Disease. That number is projected to increase to 14 million by 2040, as the baby boomer generation ages. Individuals diagnosed with Alzheimer's suffer from memory loss. At fist, the lapses may appear as simple forgetfulness, but later develop into forgeting essential facts in one's life. Alzheimer's is devastating not only to the individual afflicted by it, but to friends and family members who are confused at their loved one's inability to" be themselves". Thankfully, there are promising new drug therapies that continue to be developed which can slow the progression of the devastating disease. The key to effectively treating Alzheimer's is early detection, preferably before the onset of symptoms.
Brain SPECT imaging is an effective tool for helping to diagnose and treat Alzheimer's, as it can show patterns of brain activity that are indicative of the disease before the symptoms actually present themselves--in many cases, years before. It helps distinguish Alzheimer's from other forms of dementia. In addition, SPECT images can also show if emerging drug treatments are improving blood flow in the affected areas of the brain, slowing the progression of the disease.