Exploring the spatial covariance of cerebral vascular density and amyloid burden in Alzheimer's disease

Abstract INTRODUCTION Regional patterns of amyloid beta (Aβ) deposition in Alzheimer's disease (AD) may be influenced by cerebrovascular architecture. We examined the relationship between normative arterial and venous density maps and cortical Aβ burden. METHODS Seventy‐four amyloid‐positive AD patients underwent amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging. Regional Aβ uptake was quantified; spatial associations with normative arterial (time‐of‐flight magnetic resonance angiography) and venous (susceptibility‐weighted imaging) density maps were assessed using correlation analyses and partial least squares (PLS) regression, controlling for early‐frame PET as a proxy for perfusion. RESULTS Higher arterial density was associated with lower Aβ uptake (r = −0.68, p