Journal of Diagnostics Concepts & Practice >
Case report and risk factor analysis of amyloid-related imaging abnormalities induced by lecanemab in Alzheimer's disease
Received date: 2026-01-05
Revised date: 2026-02-06
Accepted date: 2026-02-09
Online published: 2026-04-25
Amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA) represent a significant safety concern that requires attention during the treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD) with lecanemab, and their occurrence is associated with multiple factors. This paper reports the case of a 77-year-old male patient with AD who developed manifestations of both ARIA with edema and effusion (ARIA-E) and ARIA with haemorrhage (ARIA-H) after six months of lecanemab treatment. The patient carried ARIA risk factors, including the ApoE ε3/ε4 heterozygous genotype, impaired glymphatic system function, and long-term use of antithrombotic medication. Although imaging abnormalities emerged during treatment, the patient's cognitive function remained stable, and his serum glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP) concentration decreased. Following assessment and glucocorticoid intervention, the patient continued lecanemab treatment, and the treatment course remained stable. A review of the CNKI, Wanfang, and PubMed databases identifies a total of 8 reported ARIA cases, comprising 4 males and 4 females with a median age of 72 years. Among these, at least 6 cases are heterozygous for ApoE ε3/ε4 (3 cases) or ApoE ε2/ε3 (3 cases). The predominant manifestations are mild to moderate ARIA-E (3 cases) and/or ARIA-H (3 cases). The literature indicates that the ARIA risk factors included the ApoE ε3/ε4 heterozygous genotype, long-term use of antithrombotic medication, and the presence of microbleeds and white matter lesions at baseline. Furthermore, this case suggests that glymphatic system impairment may also be a potential risk factor. This case suggests that for patients with multiple ARIA risk factors, standardized imaging monitoring, timely identification and intervention, and comprehensive benefit-risk assessment can achieve safe and continuous disease-modifying therapy, providing a practical basis for individualized clinical management.
XU Chenhaoyi , LIU Jingwen , FANG Min . Case report and risk factor analysis of amyloid-related imaging abnormalities induced by lecanemab in Alzheimer's disease[J]. Journal of Diagnostics Concepts & Practice, 2026 , 25(02) : 225 -231 . DOI: 10.16150/j.1671-2870.2026.02.014
| [1] | 王刚, 齐金蕾, 刘馨雅, 等. 中国阿尔茨海默病报告2024[J]. 诊断学理论与实践, 2024, 23(3):219-256. |
| WANG G, QI J L, LIU X Y, et al. China Alzheimer report 2024[J]. J Diagn Concepts Pract, 2024, 23(3):219-256. | |
| [2] | JI Q, CHEN J, LI Y, et al. Incidence and prevalence of Alzheimer’s disease in China: A systematic review and meta-analysis[J]. Eur J Epidemiol, 2024, 39(7):701-714. |
| [3] | 支楠, 肖金雯, 任汝静, 等. 抗Aβ单克隆抗体临床应用建议(2025版)[J]. 重庆医科大学学报, 2025, 50(9):1133-1140. |
| ZHI N, XIAO J W, REN R J, et al. Recommendations for the clinical use of anti-amyloid-β monoclonal antibody for Alzheimer's disease(2025)[J]. J Chongqing Med University, 2025, 50(9):1133-1140. | |
| [4] | 杨曦玥, 李婉婷, 杨兴隆, 等. 阿尔茨海默病淀粉样蛋白相关影像学异常的影像识别与评估[J]. 四川大学学报(医学版), 2024, 55(6):1364-1370. |
| YANG X Y, LI W T, YANG X L, et al. Radiological Identification and evaluation of amyloid-related imaging abnormalities in Alzheimer's disease[J]. J Sichuan Univ (Med Sci), 2024, 55(6):1364-1370. | |
| [5] | 马瑾瑾, 肖卫忠. 阿尔茨海默病早期诊断方法[J]. 中国临床研究, 2024, 37(7):1113-1119. |
| MA J J, XIAO W Z. Early diagnosis of Alzheimer's di-sease[J]. Chin J Clin Res, 2024, 37(7):1113-1119. | |
| [6] | JACK C R JR, ANDREWS J S, BEACH T G, et al. Revised criteria for diagnosis and staging of Alzheimer's disease: Alzheimer’s Association Workgroup[J]. Alzhei-mers Dement, 2024, 20(8):5143-5169. |
| [7] | 岳玲, 江叶昊. 阿尔茨海默病诊断和分期新标准:生物标志物引领的精准医疗时代[J]. 神经病学与神经康复学杂志, 2025, 21(1):1-5. |
| YUE L, JIANG Y H. New diagnostic and staging criteria for Alzheimer's disease:the era of precision medicine led by biomarkers[J]. J Neurol Neurorehabil, 2025, 21(1):1-5. | |
| [8] | CUMMINGS J, APOSTOLOVA L, RABINOVICI G D, et al. Lecanemab: Appropriate use recommendations[J]. J Prev Alzheimers Dis, 2023, 10(3):362-377. |
| [9] | WANG Y, YU Q, CHEN B, et al. Two cases of Amyloid-Related Imaging Abnormalities (ARIA) following lecanemab treatment for Alzheimer’s disease and a literature review[J]. BMC Neurol, 2025, 25(1):281. |
| [10] | JI S, ROSENBLOOM M. Intracerebral hemorrhage following mild ARIA-H in an APOE ε2 carrier receiving lecanemab[J]. Alzheimers Res Ther, 2024, 16(1):265. |
| [11] | YAMAZAKI A, SEKINE T, TAKAHASHI S, et al. A case of severe ARIA with multiple infarctions and extensive microbleeds following lecanemab administration[J]. Psychogeriatrics, 2025,25:e13231. |
| [12] | GIBSON A W, ELSER H, ROSSO M, et al. Ischemic stroke associated with amyloid-related imaging abnormalities in a patient treated with lecanemab[J]. Alzheimers Dement, 2024, 20(11):8192-8197. |
| [13] | BITAR I, ALABDALRAZZAK M, ZAMZAM M, et al. Clinically silent amyloid-related imaging abnormality with edema following lecanemab therapy: A case report[J]. Cureus,2025:e91230. |
| [14] | ALAMMAR H, DIALLO M, LLANO D A. Multiple ische-mic strokes in a patient treated with Lecanemab: A case report[J]. Neurocase, 2025, 31(6):295-300. |
| [15] | HAMPEL H, ELHAGE A, CHO M, et al. Amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIA): Radiological, biological and clinical characteristics[J]. Brain, 2023, 146(11):4414-4424. |
| [16] | GREENBERG S M, BAX F, VAN VELUW S J. Amyloid-related imaging abnormalities: Manifestations, metrics and mechanisms[J]. Nat Rev Neurol, 2025, 21(4):193-203. |
| [17] | HONIG L S, SABBAGH M N, VAN DYCK C H, et al. Updated safety results from phase 3 lecanemab study in early Alzheimer's disease[J]. Alzheimers Res Ther, 2024, 16(1):105. |
| [18] | DORAN S J, SAWYER R P. Risk factors in developing amyloid related imaging abnormalities (ARIA) and clinical implications[J]. Front Neurosci, 2024,18:1326784. |
| [19] | TAOKA T, MASUTANI Y, KAWAI H, et al. Evaluation of glymphatic system activity with the diffusion MR technique: Diffusion tensor image analysis along the perivascular space (DTI-ALPS) in Alzheimer's disease cases[J]. Jpn J Radiol, 2017, 35(4):172-178. |
| [20] | HUANG S Y. Glymphatic system dysfunction predicts amyloid deposition, neurodegeneration, and clinical progression in Alzheimer’s disease[J]. Alzheimers Dement, 2024, 20(S1):e084295. |
| [21] | AHMAD F, KARAN A, SHARMA R, et al. Evolving therapeutic interventions for the management and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease[J]. Ageing Res Rev, 2024,95:102229. |
| [22] | KIM S, CHUN H, KIM Y, et al. Astrocytic autophagy plasticity modulates Aβ clearance and cognitive function in Alzheimer’s disease[J]. Mol Neurodegener, 2024, 19(1):55. |
| [23] | LIMBERGER C, ZIMMER E R. Blood GFAP reflects astrocyte reactivity to Alzheimer's pathology in post-mortem brain tissue[J]. Brain, 2024, 147(5):1598-1600. |
| [24] | PEREIRA J B, JANELIDZE S, SMITH R, et al. Plasma GFAP is an early marker of amyloid-β but not tau pathology in Alzheimer’s disease[J]. Brain, 2021, 144(11):3505-3516. |
| [25] | COGSWELL P M, ANDREWS T J, BARAKOS J A, et al. Alzheimer disease anti-amyloid immunotherapies: Ima-ging recommendations and practice considerations for monitoring of amyloid-related imaging abnormalities[J]. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol, 2025, 46(1):24-32. |
| [26] | 常燕. 重视β-淀粉样蛋白PET在新时代阿尔茨海默病诊疗中的价值[J]. 神经病学与神经康复学杂志, 2025, 21(1):12-16., |
| CHANG Y. Attach importance to the value of β-amyloid-PET in the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer's di-sease in the new era[J]. J Neurol Neurorehabil, 2025, 21(1):12-16. | |
| [27] | BARAKOS J, PURCELL D, SUHY J, et al. Detection and management of amyloid-related imaging abnormalities in patients with Alzheimer's disease treated with anti-amyloid beta therapy[J]. J Prev Alzheimers Dis, 2022, 9(2):211-220. |
/
| 〈 |
|
〉 |