Diagnosing chronic traumatic encephalopathy syndrome

Andrew Budson, MD, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, explains chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) syndrome and discusses how the development of new diagnostic criteria could help to better predict which patients will have chronic disease. Currently, CTE syndrome is diagnosed at autopsy, so there is a critical need to have a diagnostic process that could allow the patient to possibly receive treatment for the condition before death. Prof. Budson explains how the main cause of CTE syndrome is repeated impacts on the head and discusses how a fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET scan could be a key part of the diagnostic process. This interview took place at the American Academy of Neurology 2022 Congress in Seattle, WA.