A national effort to standardize and share brain scans for Alzheimer’s

SCAN: Standardized Centralized Alzheimer's and Related Dementias Neuroimaging

['FUNDING_OTHER'] · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY · NIH-11090354

Creating consistent MRI and PET imaging methods and a secure library of de-identified brain scans to help doctors and scientists learn more about Alzheimer’s and related dementias.

Quick facts

Phase['FUNDING_OTHER']
Study typeNih_funding
SexAll
SponsorUNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA BERKELEY (nih funded)
Locations1 site (BERKELEY, UNITED STATES)
Trial IDNIH-11090354 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this research studies

This project will make brain scans from Alzheimer’s Disease Centers easier to compare by using the same MRI and PET methods across sites. It will collect de-identified scans (structural MRI, resting-state MRI, and PET for amyloid, tau, and glucose metabolism) into a secure, searchable NACC image repository. By standardizing how scans are taken and stored, researchers can combine images from many centers to study patterns that single sites cannot detect. That could speed discoveries that lead to better diagnosis, tracking, and treatment options for people with dementia.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: People receiving care or brain imaging at one of the NIH Alzheimer’s Disease Centers who are willing to have their de-identified scans included in the central repository would be the appropriate candidates.

Not a fit: People who are not having MRI or PET scans, who are not seen at an ADC, or who decline to share their scans would not be able to participate or directly benefit from this project.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could accelerate identification of imaging markers that improve diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s and related dementias.

How similar studies have performed: Previous standardization and data-sharing efforts such as the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative have successfully helped discover imaging biomarkers, and this project builds on those proven approaches.

Where this research is happening

BERKELEY, UNITED STATES

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.

View on NIH RePORTER →

Conditions: Alzheimer disease dementia, Alzheimer syndrome, Alzheimer's Disease, Alzheimer's disease and related dementia, Alzheimer's disease and related disorders

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.