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Objectives To investigate whether amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) is characterised by restriction in instrumental activities of daily living (IADL). Further, to examine the role of comorbidity and cognitive performance on IADL changes in aMCI subjects. Methods The study included 132 subjects with aMCI and 249 subjects with no cognitive impairment (NCI), consecutively enrolled as outpatients in a multicentric Italian clinical-based study, the ReGAl Project. All subjects underwent a comprehensive evaluation including clinical examination, laboratory screening, neuroimaging and cognitive and behavioral assessments. Functional status was evaluated by the Lawton's Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADL) scale. Comorbidity was evaluated by the Cumulative Illness Rating Scale (CIRS). Cognitive evaluation included tests assessing episodic memory, language, attention/executive functioning and praxis, as well as the the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) as a measure of global cogniton. Results Subjects with aMCI had higher IADL changes than NCI. Among IADL items, aMCI subjects showed a significant impairment in shopping, taking drugs, and handling economy; however also NCI had minor IADL changes regarding cooking, washing and cleaning. IADL restriction in aMCI subjects was significantly associated with cognitive performance, mainly related to executive functioning, but not with comorbidity. On the contrary, in NCI sensory impairment accounts for slight IADL changes. Conclusion In aMCI subjects a mild degree of cognitive deterioration has a stronger impact on IADL than somatic comorbidity. Current diagnostic criteria for MCI should include a mild impairment in IADL. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Many modern molecular imaging techniques, based on radiopharmaceuticals, can take advantage of sophisticated devices but are still based on the scintillation detector mechanism proposed by Anger. These devices can perform with millimeter spatial resolution and high detection efficiency, but the final performance is strongly affected by the algorithm used for the scintillation position detection. In this work, a detailed comparison of the effect on the imaging performances of three new position detection algorithms, in terms of spatial resolution, detection linearity and useful Field of View is performed on a prototype gamma detector. The detector, built by the authors, is based on a continuous LaBr3:Ce scintillation crystal coupled to an Hamamatsu MA-PMT H8500 and a single anode readout electronics. The experimental data are obtained scanning the detector surface with a Tc99m collimated source (0.4 mm φ) at 1.5 mm step. The overall imaging performances of the device are also tested by mean of a bar phantom. We conclude that the Anger-like algorithms give a 50% uFoV with a 1.30 mm ±0.05 mm spatial resolution while the proposed algorithms give a 80% uFoV and 1.10 mm ±0.06 mm spatial resolution.© 2013 IOP Publishing Ltd and Sissa Medialab srl.

In the last few years, integrated dual-imaging systems have emerged as a new modality for cancer staging with the aim to offer both functional and anatomic information. At moment the prevalent dual modality devices are based on Computer Tomography and Positron Emission Tomography. In this sense, the scientific community is debating about the high effective dose to the patient, representing an indicator of the stochastic risk, especially from Computer Tomography examination. So, a new dual modality imager, based on a Ultrasound probe and a Single Photon Emission Tomography was made in order to combine functional information, from gamma camera with structural one, obtained from the Ultrasound equipment. The Ultrasound probe is the most diffuse anatomical examination device at zero-dose, using a cost-effective and reliable method with few restriction in use. The proposed Single Photon Emission Tomography detector is a compact gamma camera (10x10 cm 2 active area), based on LaBr 3:Ce scintillation crystal coupled to 4x4 array of Hamamatsu H8500C-MOD8 Multi Anode Photomultiplier, with high spatial and energy resolution performances, equipped with rotating slant-hole collimator. A calibration phantom, made of a Co 57 point source inside a water filled box, was utilized to acquire 3D dual modality images. The detector has shown good performances in terms of spatial resolution and localization along z-axis of object of interest. This project was developed by several Italian Universities under an INFN collaboration.