Support vector machine-based classification of neuroimages in Alzheimer’s disease: direct comparison of FDG-PET, rCBF-SPECT and MRI data acquired from the same individuals

Author(s):Show less -

Luiz K. Ferreira ; Jane M. Rondina ; Rodrigo Kubo ^[3] ; Carla R. Ono ; Claudia C. Leite ^[5] ; Jerusa Smid ^[6] ; Cassio Bottino ^[7] ; Ricardo Nitrini ^[8] ; Geraldo F. Busatto ; Fabio L. Duran ; Carlos A. Buchpiguel

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: Revista Brasileira de Psiquiatria; v. 40, n. 2, p. 181-191, 2017-10-02.

Abstract

Objective: To conduct the first support vector machine (SVM)-based study comparing the diagnostic accuracy of T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (T1-MRI), F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) and regional cerebral blood flow single-photon emission computed tomography (rCBF-SPECT) in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Method: Brain T1-MRI, FDG-PET and rCBF-SPECT scans were acquired from a sample of mild AD patients (n=20) and healthy elderly controls (n=18). SVM-based diagnostic accuracy indices were calculated using whole-brain information and leave-one-out cross-validation. Results: The accuracy obtained using PET and SPECT data were similar. PET accuracy was 68∼71% and area under curve (AUC) 0.77∼0.81; SPECT accuracy was 68∼74% and AUC 0.75∼0.79, and both had better performance than analysis with T1-MRI data (accuracy of 58%, AUC 0.67). The addition of PET or SPECT to MRI produced higher accuracy indices (68∼74%; AUC: 0.74∼0.82) than T1-MRI alone, but these were not clearly superior to the isolated neurofunctional modalities. Conclusion: In line with previous evidence, FDG-PET and rCBF-SPECT more accurately identified patients with AD than T1-MRI, and the addition of either PET or SPECT to T1-MRI data yielded increased accuracy. The comparable SPECT and PET performances, directly demonstrated for the first time in the present study, support the view that rCBF-SPECT still has a role to play in AD diagnosis. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 04/05551-6 - Scintigraphic correlation between SPECT and positron emission tomography (PET) in the differential diagnosis of dementia
• Grantee: Carlos Alberto Buchpiguel
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• FAPESP's process: 12/50329-6 - Translational neuroscience of Alzheimer's disease: preclinical and clinical studies of b-amyloid peptide and other biomarkers
• Grantee: Geraldo Busatto Filho
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants