The Italian Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (I-ADNI): Validation of Structural MR Imaging

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Cavedo, Enrica^{a; b} | Redolfi, Alberto^a | Angeloni, Francesco^c | Babiloni, Claudio^{d; e} | Lizio, Roberta^e | Chiapparini, Luisa^f | Bruzzone, Maria G.^f | Aquino, Domenico^f | Sabatini, Umberto^g | Alesiani, Marcella^g | Cherubini, Andrea^g | Salvatore, Elena^h | Soricelli, Andrea^{c; i} | Vernieri, Fabrizio^j | Scrascia, Federica^j | Sinforiani, Elena^k | Chiarati, Patrizia^k | Bastianello, Stefano^k | Montella, Patrizia^l | Corbo, Daniele^l | Tedeschi, Gioacchino^l | Marino, Silvia^m | Baglieri, Annalisa^m | De Salvo, Simona^m | Carducci, Filippoⁿ | Quattrocchi, Carlo C.^o | Cobelli, Milena^p | Frisoni, Giovanni B.^{a; q; *} | for the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative¹

Affiliations: [a] LENITEM Laboratory of Epidemiology, Neuroimaging, & Telemedicine - IRCCS Centro San Giovanni di Dio-FBF, Brescia, Italy | [b] Cognition, Neuroimaging and Brain Diseases Laboratory, Centre de Recherche de l'Institut du Cerveau et de la Moelle Épinière (CRICM-UMRS 975), Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris, France | [c] IRCCS Fondazione SDN per la Ricerca e l'Alta Formazione in Diagnostica Nucleare, Naples, Italy | [d] Laboratory of High resolution EEG, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy | [e] IRCCS San Raffaele Pisana Rome, Italy | [f] Neuroradiology Unit, Fondazione IRCCS Istituto Neurologico “Carlo Besta”, Milan, Italy | [g] Santa Lucia Foundation, Radiology Department, Rome, Italy | [h] Department of Neurosciences, Reproductive Sciences and Odontostomatology, University Of Naples Federico II, Naples, Italy | [i] Department of Studies of Institutions and Territorial Systems, University of Naples Parthenope, Naples, Italy | [j] Neurol. University “Campus Biomedico” Rome, Italy | [k] IRCCS C. Mondino National Institute of Neurology Foundation and University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy | [l] Department of Neurological Sciences, Second University of Naples, Naples, Italy | [m] IRCCS Centro Neurolesi “Bonino-Pulejo”, Messina, Italy | [n] Laboratory of Neuroimaging, Department of Physiology and Pharmacology, University of Rome “La Sapienza”, Rome, Italy | [o] IRCCS “Ospedale Pediatrico Bambino Gesù”, Roma, Italy | [p] Neuroradiology Unit, Fondazione Poliambulanza, Brescia, Italy | [q] Memory Clinic and LANVIE - Laboratory of Neuroimaging of Aging, University Hospitals and University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland

Correspondence: [*] Correspondence to: Giovanni B. Frisoni, MD, IRCCS Centro San Giovanni di Dio Fatebenefratelli, via Pilastroni 4, 25125 Brescia, Italy. Tel.: +39 030 3501 361; Fax: +39 030 3501592; E-mail: gfrisoni@fatebenefratelli.it.

Note: [1] Data used in preparation of this article were obtained from the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database (http://adni.loni.usc.edu/). As such, the investigators within the ADNI contributed to the design and implementation of ADNI and/or provided data but did not participate in analysis or writing of this report. A complete listing of ADNI investigators can be found at: http://adni.loni.usc.edu/wp-content/uploads/how_to_apply/ADNI_Acknowledgement_List.pdf.

Abstract: Background:The North American Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (NA-ADNI) was the first program to develop standardized procedures for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) imaging biomarker collection. Objective:We describe the validation of acquisition and processing of structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in different Italian academic AD clinics following NA-ADNI procedures. Methods:373 patients with subjective memory impairment (n = 12), mild cognitive impairment (n = 92), Alzheimer’s dementia (n = 253), and frontotemporal dementia (n = 16) were enrolled in 9 Italian centers. 22 cognitively healthy elderly controls were also included. MRI site qualification and MP-RAGE quality assessment was applied following the NA-ADNI procedures. Indices of validity were: (i) NA-ADNI phantom’s signal-to-noise and contrast-to-noise ratio, (ii) proportion of images passing quality control, (iii) comparability of automated intracranial volume (ICV) estimates across scanners, and (iv) known-group validity of manual hippocampal volumetry. Results:Results on Phantom and Volunteers scans showed that I-ADNI acquisition parameters were comparable with those one of the ranked-A ADNI scans. Eighty-seven percent of I-ADNI MPRAGE images were ranked of high quality in comparison of 69% of NA-ADNI. ICV showed homogeneous variances across scanners except for Siemens scanners at 3.0 Tesla (p = 0.039). A significant difference in hippocampal volume was found between AD and controls on 1.5 Tesla scans (p < 0.001), confirming known group validity test. Conclusion:This study has provided standardization of MRI acquisition and imaging marker collection across different Italian clinical units and equipment. This is a mandatory step to the implementation of imaging biomarkers in clinical routine for early and differential diagnosis.

Keywords: Alzheimer's disease, hippocampus, intracranial volume, magnetic resonance imaging, mild cognitive impairment, standardized operating procedures

DOI: 10.3233/JAD-132666

Journal: Journal of Alzheimer's Disease, vol. 40, no. 4, pp. 941-952, 2014