Neuroimaging in the diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia.

The role of neuroimaging for the diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia (FTD) remains controversial. The modern history of imaging in the study of FTD is outlined. Also, the findings on MRI and SPECT in 15 consecutive FTD patients is noted. Both MRI and SPECT detected focal frontal involvement in nearly every single case (MRI 14/15 and SPECT 15/15). Also, the majority of patients showed asymmetry on MRI (8/15) and SPECT (12/15). This study confirms that neuroimaging is sensitive to the frontotemporal degeneration associated with FTD. Additionally, it suggests that this is often asymmetric in the relative involvement of these brain regions.