The age-related plaque score is used to grade the histopathologic findings seen in the brain of a patient with dementia. This combined with the patient's clinical findings can be used to make the neuropathologic diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. The score was used by the Consortium to Establish a Registry for Alzheimer's Disease (CERAD).
Parameters used for the plaque score:
(1) age of the patient in years
(2) plaque frequency in the histologic sections
Histologic sections are examined from the:
(1) frontal cortex
(2) temporal cortex
(3) parietal cortex
The frequency of plaques are graded as:
(1) none
(2) sparse
(3) moderate
(4) frequent
The cortical region with the greatest frequency of plaques is used to determine the plaque score.
Frequency of Plaques
Age of the Patient in Years
< 50 years
50 – 75 years
> 75 years
none
0
0
0
sparse
C
B
A
moderate
C
C
B
frequent
C
C
C
Code
Histologic Evidence of Alzheimer's disease
0
none
A
uncertain
B
suggestive
C
indicative
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