Kejal Kantarci, M.D.

My primary research focus is imaging markers of aging and dementia. Specifically, my goal is to identify imaging markers for early diagnosis and differential diagnosis of dementia, and for detecting progression of dementia pathologies.

Currently, in collaboration with the Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Mayo Clinic, we are investigating the complementary role of structural MRI, DTI, MR spectroscopy and PET metabolic; and amyloid imaging in characterizing patients clinically diagnosed with dementia with Lewy bodies and Alzheimer's disease.

Furthermore, we are following our participants with annual imaging studies and correlating antemortem imaging with postmortem pathological assessments in autopsied cases. Our goal in this project is to validate imaging markers with the gold standard of pathology. This is an essential step for translating the imaging markers we identify into clinical practice.

My other area of research involves estrogen replacement in newly menopausal women. Our research team is measuring the effects of estrogen replacement on brain structure with magnetic resonance imaging in a multi-center, randomized blinded study of estrogen treatment.