CLN Daily
The rapid evolution of Alzheimer's disease diagnostics has created new opportunities, along with new challenges, for clinicians and laboratorians. Among the many important questions being explored at ADLM 2026, one timely question regarding Alzheimer’s care will be brought to the forefront: Are we entering a new era in Alzheimer's diagnosis? The session "Transforming Alzheimer’s Care: Implications of New Clinical Guidance," moderated by Mari DeMarco, PhD, DABCC, FADLM, will address that question by examining newly released recommendations that are reshaping the use of imaging and biomarker testing. Bringing together experts in laboratory medicine, neurology, and imaging, the session will explore how these advances can improve diagnostic accuracy while supporting responsible implementation in clinical practice.
DeMarco, who will also serve as a speaker, will frame the discussion by connecting advances in clinical practice with the laboratory's expanding role in Alzheimer's care. Her presentation on implementing biofluid biomarkers will tackle the practical realities laboratories face as these tests move into routine use, including assay validation, quality assurance, standardization, and reporting. While scientific discovery often attracts the most attention, successful implementation depends on laboratories delivering reliable results that clinicians can trust, every time.
Gloria Chiang, MD, will shift the focus to molecular imaging, where amyloid and tau positron emission tomography (PET) have transformed the ability to visualize Alzheimer's pathology during life. “In recent years, PET imaging has become the cornerstone for detecting beta-amyloid plaques and tau neurofibrillary tangles in vivo in humans," Chiang said.
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She will explain how amyloid PET plays a critical role in confirming amyloid pathology, determining eligibility for amyloid-targeting therapies, and monitoring treatment response. Tau PET, meanwhile, has emerged as an important predictor of clinical benefit from therapy and near-term cognitive decline. As plasma biomarkers continue to evolve, Chiang will demonstrate why PET imaging will remain a valuable tool when blood biomarker results are equivocal.
Beyond reviewing the latest recommendations, Chiang will walk attendees through common clinical scenarios that illustrate when PET imaging is appropriate and when it may not be. For example, ordering an amyloid PET scan for a cognitively unimpaired individual with only a strong family history of Alzheimer's disease is rarely appropriate because many amyloid-positive individuals remain symptom-free for decades. Chiang will also introduce the new term treatment-related amyloid clearance (TRAC), which was developed to harmonize how clinicians describe complete versus partial removal of amyloid plaques following treatment. Using clinical images from treated patients, she will demonstrate how PET quantification helps distinguish these responses and informs patient management.
Complementing the imaging perspective, Hamid Okhravi, MD, will discuss new guidance for clinicians using blood biomarkers, an area that has generated tremendous excitement because of its potential to make Alzheimer's evaluation more accessible and less invasive. "The key message I hope attendees leave with is that the new clinical practice guidelines provide a practical roadmap for incorporating blood biomarkers into the diagnostic workup of patients with cognitive impairment,” Okhravi said. “The goal is to improve diagnostic accuracy, support earlier identification of Alzheimer's disease, and ultimately enhance patient care."
Okhravi's presentation will examine the scientific evidence supporting blood biomarkers, practical recommendations for integrating them into routine clinical workflows, and the limitations clinicians should recognize when interpreting results. Rather than replacing clinical judgment, blood biomarkers are intended to complement the overall diagnostic evaluation and help identify patients who may benefit from additional testing or newly available therapies. Okhravi will also speak to important implementation challenges, including appropriate patient selection, interpretation of results, and the need for evidence-based use as disease-modifying therapies continue to reshape Alzheimer's care.
Together, the presentations will underscore a common message: no single test will define the future of Alzheimer's diagnosis. Progress will depend on integrating reliable laboratory biomarkers, advanced molecular imaging, and thoughtful clinical guidance into a coordinated diagnostic strategy. For attendees, this session will offer more than an update on new recommendations. It will provide a glimpse into how laboratory medicine can help shape the next generation of Alzheimer's care.
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