Yonekura Y
Rinsho Hoshasen. 1989 Oct;34(11):1349-53.
Dementia is not a particular disease but a clinical syndrome based on the subjective and objective symptoms. Morphological imaging modalities such as X-ray computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can accurately identify those which can be treated. Functional imaging techniques such as positron emission tomography (PET) and single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) can visualize the regional decrease of neuronal function as mapping of cerebral blood flow and metabolism. Although they are useful for differential diagnosis and assessment of neuronal activity in patients with dementia, they cannot provide an information about the dementia itself. Recent rapid developments in molecular biology have started to clarify the underlying pathophysiology of various neurological diseases. A combination of these knowledge and the new imaging technique may bring an exciting new field in understanding the cause and the treatment of dementia.
痴呆不是一种特定的疾病，而是基于主观和客观症状的临床综合征。形态学成像方式，如X射线计算机断层扫描（CT）和磁共振成像（MRI），可以准确识别那些可治疗的情况。功能成像技术，如正电子发射断层扫描（PET）和单光子发射计算机断层扫描（SPECT），可以将神经元功能的区域减少可视化为脑血流和代谢的图谱。虽然它们对痴呆患者的鉴别诊断和神经元活动评估有用，但它们不能提供有关痴呆本身的信息。分子生物学最近的快速发展已开始阐明各种神经疾病的潜在病理生理学。这些知识与新成像技术的结合可能会在理解痴呆的病因和治疗方面带来一个令人兴奋的新领域。
