Alzheimer's disease is a neurodegenerative condition which has been traditionally difficult to diagnose in its early stages. F18-Florbetaben PET assesses the brain for the presence of extracellular deposition of amyloid plaques (Aβ peptides), which is the defining feature of Alzheimer's disease, by binding to sites of β-amyloid (Aβ) deposition.

This is an example of a normal F18-Florbetaben PET, which does not demonstrate tracer uptake in the cortex/grey matter. Normal studies demonstrate preservation of the sharp "arboreal" or tree branching pattern of the cerebral white matter, and clear separation between the two hemispheres. Blunting of the arboreal pattern, blurring of the grey-white matter junction and/or loss of definition between the two hemispheres is consistent with cortical amyloid deposition.