biostudies-literatureShuping JLNIA NIH HHSe12372https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9983143biostudies-literatureUnknown9(1)<h4>Background</h4>The positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracer [¹⁸F]MK-6240 exhibits high specificity for neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) of tau protein in Alzheimer's disease (AD), high sensitivity to medial temporal and neocortical NFTs, and low within-brain background. Objectives were to develop and validate a reproducible, clinically relevant visual read method supporting [¹⁸F]MK-6240 use to identify and stage AD subjects versus non-AD and controls.<h4>Methods</h4>Five expert readers used their own methods to assess 30 scans of mixed diagnosis (47% cognitively normal, 23% mild cognitive impairment, 20% AD, 10% traumatic brain injury) and provided input regarding regional and global positivity, features influencing assessment, confidence, practicality, and clAlzheimer's & dementia (New York, N. Y.)Development, initial validation, and application of a visual read method for [¹⁸F]MK-6240 tau PET.PMC9983143RF1 AG058067K24 AG045334R01 AG050436R01 AG052414R01 AG038465R01 AG055299R01 AG050440P30 AG062715RF1 AG051556R01 AG055422R01 AG062285P01 AG025204K23 AG052633RF1 AG027161R01 AG021155R01 AG063888R00 AG065506R01 AG062167Wilde CLKlunk WEScott DBrickman AMLukic ASWard LMathotaarachchi SSRowe CCDevanand DPJohnson SCJohnson KABoxer ALLao PJSur CPrice JCCordes LRosa-Neto PStern YLuchsinger JAAndrews RDVan Laere KEvelhoch JLBarakos JKreisl WCPurcell DDMatthews DCShuping JLAdamczuk KfalseDevelopment, initial validation, and application of a visual read method for [¹⁸F]MK-6240 tau PET.<h4>Background</h4>The positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracer [¹⁸F]MK-6240 exhibits high specificity for neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) of tau protein in Alzheimer's disease (AD), high sensitivity to medial temporal and neocortical NFTs, and low within-brain background. Objectives were to develop and validate a reproducible, clinically relevant visual read method supporting [¹⁸F]MK-6240 use to identify and stage AD subjects versus non-AD and controls.<h4>Methods</h4>Five expert readers used their own methods to assess 30 scans of mixed diagnosis (47% cognitively normal, 23% mild cognitive impairment, 20% AD, 10% traumatic brain injury) and provided input regarding regional and global positivity, features influencing assessment, confidence, practicality, and cl2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 Jan-Mar2026-03-17T15:23:46.683Z2025-08-16T03:06:32.324ZS-EPMC99831433687392610.1002/trc2.12372