BACKGROUND: Definite Alzheimer's disease (AD) requires neuropathological confirmation. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) may enhance diagnostic accuracy, but due to restricted sensitivity and specificity, the role of SPECT is largely limited with regard to this purpose. METHODS: We propose a new method of SPECT data analysis. The method is based on a combination of parietal lobe selection (as regions-of-interest (ROI)), 3D fuzzy edge detection, and 3D watershed transformation. We applied the algorithm to three-dimensional SPECT images of human brains and compared the number of watershed regions inside the ROI between AD patients and controls. The Student's two-sample t-test was used for testing domain number equity in both groups. RESULTS: AD patients had a significantly reduced number of watershed regions compared to controls (p < 0.01). A sensitivity of 94.1% and specificity of 80% was obtained with a threshold value of 57.11 for the watershed domain number. The narrowing of the SPECT analysis to parietal regions leads to a substantial increase in both sensitivity and specificity. CONCLUSIONS: Our non-invasive, relatively low-cost, and easy method can contribute to a more precise diagnosis of AD.

• MeSH
• algoritmy * MeSH
• Alzheimerova nemoc diagnostické zobrazování   MeSH
• fuzzy logika * MeSH
• interpretace obrazu počítačem metody   MeSH
• jednofotonová emisní výpočetní tomografie metody   MeSH
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mozek diagnostické zobrazování   MeSH
• reprodukovatelnost výsledků MeSH
• retrospektivní studie MeSH
• rozpoznávání automatizované metody   MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• senzitivita a specificita MeSH
• vylepšení obrazu metody   MeSH
• Check Tag
• lidé středního věku MeSH
• lidé MeSH
• mužské pohlaví MeSH
• senioři nad 80 let MeSH
• senioři MeSH
• ženské pohlaví MeSH
• Publikační typ
• časopisecké články MeSH
• práce podpořená grantem MeSH