A new method of measuring brain atrophy: the effect of aging in its application for diagnosing dementia
Yerby, M.S.; Sundsten, J.W.; Larson, E.B.; Wu, S.A.; Sumi, S.M.
Neurology 35(9): 1316-1320
1985
ISSN/ISBN: 0028-3878 PMID: 4022378 Document Number: 243443
A new method of measuring cerebral atrophy using a ratio of brain parenchyma to ventricular and subarachnoid space is described. It uses digitized brain CT . This ratio was measured prospectively on 117 consecutive elderly patients referred for evaluation of cognitive dysfunction. Diagnosis was determined by preestablished criteria and confirmed by follow-up. Despite the improved accuracy and reproducibility of this method, its ability to differentiate persons with senile dementia of the Alzheimer's type (SDAT) from those suffering from pseudodementia was confounded by age and was, hence, of limited utility. Even with sophisticated measures of cerebral atrophy, CT apparently is unable to discriminate among common causes of cognitive dysfunction in the elderly.