Salivary Gland Uptake on
                    18
                    F‐Florbetaben PET Did Not Demonstrate Additional Diagnostic Value for Alzheimer's Disease

Hyun Woo Kwon; Saim Jung; Cheolmin Shin; Moon Ho Park

doi:10.1002/brb3.71199

journal article Open Access Jan 01, 2026

Salivary Gland Uptake on 18 F‐Florbetaben PET Did Not Demonstrate Additional Diagnostic Value for Alzheimer's Disease

Hyun Woo Kwon Saim Jung

Cheolmin Shin

Moon Ho Park

Brain and Behavior Vol. 16 No. 1 · Wiley

View at Publisher Save 10.1002/brb3.71199

Abstract

Abstract

Objectives

Saliva, like other body fluids, has been investigated as a source of biomarkers for Alzheimer's disease (AD) due to its accessibility. Recently, decreased amyloid‐PET uptake in the salivary glands of patients with AD was reported, prompting interest in the potential clinical relevance of that finding. This study evaluates the association between salivary gland uptake on
1
8
F‐florbetaben PET and cortical amyloid burden and assesses its diagnostic value.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 73 patients who underwent
18
F‐florbetaben PET imaging. Salivary gland uptake (SUVR
SG
) was measured and compared with the cortical amyloid burden, severity of dementia, and clinical diagnoses (cognitively normal, mild cognitive impairment, and dementia). Diagnostic performance was assessed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analyses.

Results

The mean SUVR
SG
was 1.43 ± 0.29, with no significant differences based on the cortical amyloid burden, severity of dementia, or clinical diagnosis. SUVR
SG
did not correlate with the cortical amyloid burden (ρ = −0.103, p > 0.05). The area under the ROC curve and volume under the ROC surface indicated that SUVR
SG
had poor diagnostic performance.

Conclusions

Salivary gland uptake on
18
F‐florbetaben PET was not associated with the cortical amyloid burden or clinical stage of AD, and it did not demonstrate diagnostic value. Further research is needed to explore its biological significance and standardization methods.

Topics

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Details

Published: Jan 01, 2026
Vol/Issue: 16(1)
License: View

Authors

H

Hyun Woo Kwon

Department of Nuclear Medicine Korea University Ansan Hospital Ansan South Korea

S

Saim Jung

Department of Psychiatry Korea University Ansan Hospital Ansan South Korea

C

Cheolmin Shin

Department of Psychiatry Korea University Ansan Hospital Ansan South Korea

M

Moon Ho Park

Department of Neurology Korea University Ansan Hospital Ansan South Korea

Cite This Article

Hyun Woo Kwon, Saim Jung, Cheolmin Shin, et al. (2026). Salivary Gland Uptake on 18 F‐Florbetaben PET Did Not Demonstrate Additional Diagnostic Value for Alzheimer's Disease. Brain and Behavior, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.1002/brb3.71199

Salivary Gland Uptake on 18 F‐Florbetaben PET Did Not Demonstrate Additional Diagnostic Value for Alzheimer's Disease

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