Amyvid

Amyvid is an injectable prescription imaging agent used in adults with thinking or memory problems who are being assessed for Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) or other causes of these symptoms.

Amyvid is used by doctors in combination with other tests. Amyvid is used with a positron emission tomography (PET) scanner to show whether high levels of plaques, which are a buildup of a protein called beta-amyloid, are in the brain.

Neuraceq

Neuraceq is a newly developed, radioactive tracer to diagnose Alzheimer's. Neuraceq is designed to stick to β-amyloid neuritic plaques in the brain for a short time. When used with PET scanning to create an image of your brain, Neuraceq® can reveal the presence or absence of β-amyloid plaque.

Vizamyl

Vizamyl (flutemetamol F 18) Injection is a molecular imaging agent used to diagnose Alzheimer’s and other causes of cognitive decline. When used with PET scanning to create an image of your brain, Vizaymyl reveal the presence or absence of β-amyloid plaque.

When to test for Alzheimer's or Dementia?

A memory or thinking test can tell a doctor if you have cognitive impairment. However, it cannot tell your doctor the cause of the problem.

 

An image of the brain, or a “scan,” gives your doctor a non-invasive way to look inside the brain to see what might be causing memory and thinking problems.

 

The most common cause of cognitive impairment due to a neurodegenerative disease is Alzheimer's disease (AD). In AD, sticky clumps of protein called beta(β)‐amyloid plaques build up in the brain, affecting the way the brain works.

Important Information

 

Important to know

  • Please bring reports and pictures from preliminary examinations with you.

  • Pregnancy must be ruled out.

  • If you are breastfeeding your child, please let us know when you make an appointment so that we can discuss the next steps with you.

  • On the day of the examination, contact with pregnant women or young children should be avoided.

  • During your follow-up appointment, your doctor will review your Neuraceq® PET scan along with results from other tests to figure out whether your cognitive impairment may be due to AD or something else.

  • Please call us if you are not sure if your scan (or tracer) will get reimbursed by your health insurance.

    A positive scan

  • If the Neuraceq® PET scan is positive, it can help your doctor figure out if you have AD.

  • β-amyloid neuritic plaques are sticky clumps of protein that form in the brains of people who have AD. However, β-amyloid plaques may also be present in other diseases and in people without cognitive symptoms. These plaques affect the way the brain works. The presence of β‐amyloid plaques is a key component for the confirmation of AD.

If you need to cancel:

  • If need to cancel your appointment, please inform us of this no later than the day before by 12 noon, otherwise we will have to charge a cancellation fee.

  • Also, if we can’t reach you to confirm the appointment without the 48 hours before the exam we will have to reschedule you. You can of course also call us if you are not reachable.

How a PET-CT works

  • We will inject you a small dose of the radioactive tracer substance specially prepared for you.

  • Then wait 60 minutes in a lying position 45-90 minutes in a tranquil room.

  • The recording in the scanner takes about 20 minutes.

  • Drink plenty of fluids after the examination to speed up the elimination of the tracer.

  • If you are breastfeeding your child, please make us aware of this at the time when the appointment is made. This will allow us to discuss the next steps with you.

  • On the day of the examination, contact with pregnant women or young children should be avoided.

  • Please let us know if you suffer from claustrophobia. Here are some tips if you do.

Possible side effects

  • No side effects are to be expected from the injection of the radioactive tracer itself.

  • Side effects can result from the administration of iodine-containing contrast medium in the context of the possibly accompanying contrast medium-assisted computed tomography (intolerance reaction, hyperthyroidism, exacerbation of a pre-existing renal insufficiency).

  • Please make sure to point out in the informative discussion if you have had a reaction to a contrast medium in the past (reddening of the skin, itching, swelling, shortness of breath, etc.).