A single brain scan which can detect Alzheimer’s disease has been developed by British scientists in what could be a breakthrough for early diagnosis. The new technique is simple and can identify the condition at an early stage when it is very difficult to diagnose.
It is based on an MRI scan and uses machine learning technology to look at structural features in the brain, including in parts of the brain not previously linked to Alzheimer’s. Researchers from Imperial College London found the new scan could accurately detect the detect the disease 98 per cent of the time.
It was also able to distinguish between early and late-stage Alzheimer’s in 79 per cent of patients. It could spot changes in areas of the brain not previously associated with Alzheimer’s disease, including the part of the brain that coordinates and regulates physical activity and the part linked to the senses, sight and hearing.
