Many efforts have been spent to investigate the causes and mechanisms of Alzheimer Disease (AD). Therapies to slow down the cognitive decline have proved more effective during the early stage of the disease: consequently, biomarkers for early diagnosis are desirable. Growing evidence of the correlation between the progression of AD and the loss of neurons in specific areas of the brain has been reported. Clinical MR images are a valuable tool for the estimation of volume loss and shape changes in brain structures: tissue degeneration due to AD has been shown both in gray and white matter. Investigating changes in these areas might increase our knowledge on the progression of AD. The delineation of white and gray matter structures remains a challenging task in elderly: the reduced contrast between white and gray matter yields to error-prone (semi-)automatic segmentations. Manual delineation is more subjective and time consuming. The analysis of brain ventricles could lead to more reproducible results since the contrast between CSF and the rest of the parenchyma remains sharp. Focus of this research was to investigate changes in the ventricular shape within different populations (controls, MCIs, and ADs), and across the spectrum of cognitive impairment.Stichting Beeldverwerkering, Leiden Medis medical imaging systems bv., Leiden Foundation Imago, Oegstgeest Internationale Stichting Alzheimer Onderzoek (ISAO) Bio-Imaging Technologies bv., LeidenUBL - phd migration 201
