Autopsy provides the only way to definitively diagnose Alzheimer's disease. Brain tissue samples may reveal a buildup of amyloid plaques, (left, courtesy the University of Liverpool) thought to contribute to the disease--though scientists debate about whether it's the cause. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to determine if someone has Alzheimer's before they die? Or before they develop symptoms?Medical imaging companies are heading in that direction, developing molecules with radioactive markers that will bind to amyloid plaques. Patients could receive an injection that would prompt regions of the brain to become colorized in a scan and reveal the location of those Alzheimer's-related plaques, the Wall Street Journal describes.
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