Compositions and method for diagnosing and treating alzheimer's disease

Abstract

Disclosed herein are methods for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease in a subject that involves administering to the subject an imaging agent comprising hyperpolarized pyruvate having a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-detectable nucleus; applying radiation to the brain of the subject, wherein the radiation has a frequency that excites electron spin transitions in the DNP agent at an intensity to polarize the NMR-detectable nucleus; detecting magnetic resonance signals in the brain of the subject from nuclear spin transitions in the NMR-detectable nucleus to produce a spectrum measuring bicarbonate (Bic) and lactate (Lac) metabolites; and calculating a Bic/Lac ratio from the measured metabolites, wherein a reduced Bic/Lac ratio compared to control is an indication that the subject has Alzheimer's disease.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.