Blood Biomarkers and AI Imaging Reshape the Path to Earlier Alzheimer’s Diagnosis, Experts at Mahajan Imaging & Labs Say

New Delhi | 21 September 2026: On the occasion of World Alzheimer’s Day, Mahajan Imaging & Labs hosted an expert webinar titled: “Alzheimer’s Disease: From Early Signs to Early Diagnosis – The Role of Advanced Diagnostics in Timely Intervention.”

The session focused on the role of pTAU217/βAmyloid1‑42 blood biomarker testing, AI‑enabled MRI brain imaging, and FDG PET as complementary tools alongside clinical assessment in the early evaluation of Alzheimer’s disease.

Expert Panel

• Dr. Vinit Suri, Senior Consultant Neurologist, Apollo Hospital.
• (Padma Shri) Dr. Harsh Mahajan, Founder & Chairperson, Mahajan Imaging & Labs; Mentor, FICCI Health.
• Dr. Shelly Mahajan, Lab Director, Mahajan Imaging & Labs.
• Dr. Ritu Verma, Director – PET CT & Nuclear Medicine, Mahajan Imaging & Labs.

The discussion reflected Mahajan Imaging & Labs’ integrated capabilities across radiology, pathology, genomics, and nuclear medicine.

Context: India’s Dementia Burden

• 8.8 million people aged 60+ estimated to be living with dementia in India.
• Alzheimer’s disease accounts for the majority of cases.
• Numbers projected to nearly double over the next decade.
• Early recognition of cognitive changes is critical to support timely intervention and potentially slow disease progression.

Expert Insights

Dr. Vinit Suri: “Progressive forgetfulness, difficulty managing familiar tasks, or changes affecting independence warrant neurological evaluation. Once cognitive impairment is established, investigations can help determine whether Alzheimer’s pathology is contributing to the symptoms and guide subsequent clinical decisions.”

(Padma Shri) Dr. Harsh Mahajan: “Alzheimer’s care is entering an important phase where earlier biological understanding can influence how the disease is evaluated and managed. At Mahajan Imaging & Labs, our focus has been to bring advanced diagnostic capabilities together so clinicians have access to meaningful evidence at different stages of the diagnostic journey.”

Dr. Ritu Verma: “PET imaging provides a functional perspective that cannot be obtained from structural imaging alone. FDG PET can help identify patterns of altered brain metabolism associated with neurodegenerative disease, especially when interpreted alongside clinical assessment, MRI, and biomarker results.”

Dr. Shelly Mahajan: “Blood‑based biomarkers are an important step in making Alzheimer’s assessment simpler and more accessible. The pTAU217/βAmyloid1‑42 ratio provides a measurable indication of disease‑associated pathology through a blood sample, helping bring clarity to the diagnostic process.”

Diagnostic Pathway

• MRI brain imaging: assesses structural changes in memory‑related regions; rules out other causes (stroke, tumours, pressure abnormalities).
• FDG PET: identifies altered brain metabolism patterns in selected patients.
• Blood biomarkers (pTAU217/βAmyloid1‑42): USFDA‑ and CDSCO‑approved, less invasive than CSF testing, performed at Mahajan Reference Laboratory.
• Integrated pathway: biomarker results followed by MRI and FDG PET where clinically indicated, interpreted alongside clinical findings.

Treatment Landscape

• Established medicines: donepezil, rivastigmine, galantamine, memantine for symptomatic management.
• Newer disease‑modifying therapies: lecanemab and donanemab, targeting amyloid pathology, for eligible patients with early Alzheimer’s disease.
• Requires appropriate patient selection, pathology confirmation, and specialist monitoring.

Key Takeaways

• Distinguishing normal age‑related forgetfulness from persistent cognitive changes is vital, especially in people over 50 with memory concerns, MCI, or family history.
• Combining clinical expertise with laboratory and imaging tools supports earlier, more informed evaluation of cognitive concerns.
• Multidisciplinary care is essential as treatments evolve.