NeuraCeq (¹⁸F-Florbetaben)

NeuraCeq (¹⁸F-Florbetaben) is a radioactive diagnostic agent for Positron Emission Tomography (PET).

NeuraCeq is used during brain scans in patients with memory problems to see whether or not they have significant amounts of β-amyloid plaques in the brain. β-amyloid plaques are deposits sometimes present in the brain of people with memory problems caused by dementia (such as Alzheimer’s disease, Lewy-body dementia and Parkinson’s disease dementia) and also in the brain of some elderly people with no symptoms.

 If few or no β-amyloid plaques are seen in the PET scan (a negative scan), the patient is unlikely to have Alzheimer’s disease. However, a positive scan on its own is not sufficient to make a diagnosis in patients with memory problems, as plaques may be seen with several types of dementia and also in some elderly people with no symptoms. Doctors will therefore need to use the scans together with clinical evaluation.