New Brain Scan Detects Alzheimer's Disease

Posted on June 22, 2012

A new type of brain scan can detect Alzheimer's disease. Time reports that the brain scan test was recently approved the FDA. The test uses a radioactive agent, Amyvid (florbetapir), to detect amyloid plaques in the brain, which is a hallmark of the disease that could previously only be determined after death with an autopsy. The first person to take the new test found that he did not have Alzheimer's despite experiencing memory trouble. He can seek out another cause for his memory problems. Take a look:

ALZHEIMERS