Study Rationale: The primary objective of this study is to assess the feasibility and effectiveness of high-resolution PET imaging using the NeuroExplorer to visualize alpha-synuclein aggregation in Parkinson’s disease (PD)and Multiple System Atrophy (MSA) with varying profiles in CSF-SAA with using 18F-RO7196581.
Hypothesis: The development of the NeuroExplorer, a high-resolution head-only PET scanner, offers an exciting opportunity to address these challenges with a spatial resolution of 1.3 mm and increased sensitivity to low levels of radioactivity. The NeuroExplorer could revolutionize the imaging of tau aggregation, potentially allowing for improved characterization of tau pathology among the heterogenous spectrum of movement disorders such as PD and Multiple System Atrophy (MSA, and to aid in the differential diagnosis.
This study seeks to leverage the NeuroExplorer’s capabilities to investigate tau deposition in CSF-SAA negative and positive patient cohorts using 18F-RO7196581. We aim to determine whether the NeuroExplorer can improve visualization of a-Synuclein in conditions where alpha-synuclein is pathologically implicated, but its visualization is limited by current PET technologies.
Study Design: This study proposes evaluating 18F-RO7196581 and CSF alpha-synuclein Seed Amplification Assay (CSF-SAA) to explore its performance in PD and MSA. The pilot study aims to assess the feasibility of NeuroExplorer for detecting alpha-synuclein aggregation across these disorders, enhancing diagnostic precision and understanding the disease heterogeneity.
Impact on Diagnosis/Treatment of Parkinson’s disease: This approach may elucidate overlapping pathologies in movement disorders, aiding differential diagnosis and therapeutic development
Next Steps for Development: If the data collected during this initial phase positively answers our hypothesis, then this approach has a potential application in larger trials