Update on the Magnetic Resonance Imaging core of the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative

Functions of the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) core fall into three categories. (1) those of the central MRI core laboratory at Mayo Clinic. Rochester. Minnesota. needed to generate high quality MRI data in all subjects at each time point: (2) those of the funded ADNI MRI core imaging analysis groups responsible for analyzing the M RI data. and (3) the joint function of the entire MRI core in designing and problem solving MR image acquisition. pre-processing. and analyses methods. The primary objective of ADNI was and continues to be improving methods for clinical trials in Alzheimer's disease Our approach to the present (ADNI-GO) and future (ADNI-2, if funded) MRI protocol will be to maintain MRI methodological consistency in the previously enrolled ADNI-1 subjects who are followed up longitudinally in ADNI-GO and ADNI-2 We will modernize and expand the MRI protocol for all newly enrolled ADNI-GO and ADNI-2 subjects All newly enrolled subjects will be scanned at 3T with a core set of three sequence types 3D T-weighted volume. FLAIR, and a long TE gradient echo volumetric acquisition for micro hemorrhage detection In addition to this core ADNI-GO and ADNI-2 protocol. we will perform vendor-specific pilot sub-studies of arterial spin-labeling perfusion. resting state functional connectivity. and diffusion tensor imaging One of these sequences will be added to the core protocol on systems from each MRI vendor These experimental sub-studies are designed to demonstrate the feasibility of acquiring useful data in a multicenter (but single vendor) setting tor these three emerging MRI applications (C) 2010 The Alzheimer's Association All rights reserved