Finally, Imaging Alzheimer’s Plaques

That’s right folks, Eli Lily has managed to produce a mildly-radioactive dye for PET imaging that will show amyloid plaques of the kind found in Alzheimer’s patients.  This will allow doctors to test whether these amyloid plaques are a cause of or a result of Alzheimer’s disease, something that is still unclear.  That knowledge may (if it is true) lead to treatments and prevention.  If untrue, it may lead to better hypotheses.  Either way, this is real progress.

Top: Normal.  Bottom, lit up like Xmas: Alzheimer’s patient.