Background: Trauma-related neurodegeneration can be difficult to differentiate from multifactorial neurodegenerative syndromes, both clinically and radiographically. We have initiated a protocol for in vivo imaging of patients with suspected TBI-related neurodegeneration utilizing volumetric MRI and PET studies, including [¹⁸F]FDG indexing cerebral glucose metabolism, [¹¹C]PiB for Aβ deposition, and [¹⁸F]AV-1451 for tau deposition. Objective: To present results from a neuroimaging protocol for in vivo evaluation of TBI-related neurodegeneration in patients with early-onset cognitive decline and a history of TBI. Methods: Patients were enrolled in parallel TBI studies and underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological test battery as well as an imaging protocol of volumetric MRI and PET studies. Findings from two patients were compared with two age-matched control subjects without a history of TBI. Results: Both chronic TBI patients demonstrated cognitive deficits consistent with early-onset dementia on neuropsychological testing, and one patient self-reported a diagnosis of probable early-onset AD. Imaging studies demonstrated significant [¹⁸F]AV-1451 uptake in the bilateral occipital lobes, substantial [¹¹C]PiB uptake throughout the cortex in both TBI patients, and abnormally decreased [¹⁸F]FDG uptake in the posterior temporoparietal areas of the brain. One TBI patient also had subcortical volume loss. Control subjects demonstrated no appreciable [¹⁸F]AV-1451 or [¹¹C]PiB uptake, had normal cortical volumes, and had normal cognition profiles on neuropsychological testing. Conclusions: In the two patients presented, the [¹¹C]PiB and [¹⁸F]FDG PET scans demonstrate uptake patterns characteristic of AD. [¹¹C]PiB PET scans showed widespread neocortical uptake with less abnormal uptake in the occipital lobes, whereas there was significant [¹⁸F]AV-1451 uptake in both occipital lobes.

#	Concept	H-Index	Publications	Citations
1	Medicine	1	1	11
2	Social Sciences	1	1	11
3	Neuroscience	1	1	11
4	Rehabilitation	1	1	11
5	Medical Imaging	1	1	11

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