Novel PET Imaging Technique Shows Promise for Diagnosing CTE Biomarkers

A pioneering PET imaging method has shown potential for accurately identifying a biomarker linked to chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) in living patients. Traditionally, CTE has been diagnosed only post-mortem, but this new approach could facilitate early diagnosis and aid in the development of treatments. This breakthrough was discussed at the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging's 2026 Annual Meeting.

CTE is frequently observed in athletes involved in contact sports, military veterans, and individuals who have suffered traumatic brain injuries, including victims of domestic violence. The condition, marked by cognitive decline and mental health disturbances, is currently diagnosed after death through neuropathological analysis revealing tau plaques in the brain.

Isabelle Boileau, PhD, a senior scientist and associate director at the Brain Health Imaging Centre, explained, "Post-mortem, CTE is confirmed by the presence of tau plaques. However, existing tau PET tracers designed for Alzheimer's may not effectively identify the unique tau pathology of CTE."

Researchers have evaluated a novel tau PET radiotracer for its capability to detect tau plaques in patients with suspected CTE. The study involved three former athletes from collision sports and seven healthy controls who underwent brain PET scans using 18F-OXD-2314. The scans indicated heightened uptake of 18F-OXD-2314 in the grey-white matter junction and white matter of those with suspected CTE, compared to the controls. Additionally, binding of 3H-OXD-2314 was confirmed in post-mortem CTE tissue, corroborating the radiotracer's affinity for tau pathology in human CTE.

"If validated, 18F-OXD-2314 could provide the first accurate diagnostic biomarker for CTE," Boileau stated. "This could establish a clinical role for PET in identifying traumatic brain injury and neurodegeneration related to sports and military, potentially leading to new tau-radiopharmaceuticals for CTE."

Boileau added, "While still in early research stages, our findings for suspected CTE and other non-Alzheimer's tauopathies are promising. PET imaging for CTE could be available to patients in about two years, pending further research."

The study, titled "First-in-Human Tau PET using [18F]OXD-2314 in People with Suspected Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy," involved collaboration between researchers from the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, the University of Toronto, and McMaster University.