Relevance of Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Early Detection and Diagnosis of Alzheimer Disease

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based indicators of regional and global brain atrophy and more advanced measures of cortical functional and structural connectivity are among the most promising imaging biomarkers for the characterization of preclinical and prodromal stages of Alzheimer disease (AD). This review presents the current status of available and evolving MRI-based technologies for the early asymptomatic and predementia diagnosis of AD, including high-resolution structural MRI of global and regional brain atrophy, diffusion tensor imaging of structural cortical connectivity, and functional MRI during rest and task performance. The selection of an appropriate technique needs to consider its suitability for specific applications.