Neuroscience Imaging CRO for CNS Clinical Trials

Expertise from having supported 750+ CNS clinical trials, including 250+ Alzheimer’s disease and 140+ Parkinson’s disease studies.

Imaging in CNS Clinical Trials

Our Imaging Core Lab supports sponsors and CRO partners to deliver high-quality clinical trial imaging data through scientific collaboration and our global imaging core lab infrastructure.

Whether you’re developing a disease-modifying therapy for Alzheimer’s, a novel tracer for Parkinson’s, or exploring novel endpoints in rare neuropsychiatric disorders, Perceptive’s medical imaging core lab is your partner for precision, speed, and regulatory-ready data.

Why Sponsors Choose Perceptive for CNS Imaging Services

CNS Tracer Development Leadership

Perceptive has played a pivotal role in the clinical development and validation of nearly every amyloid and tau imaging tracer on the market. Our teams supported these agents from first-in-human studies through regulatory approval, giving us unmatched insight into tracer performance, quantification, and interpretation.

Parkinson’s-Specific Image Pipelines

We bring proprietary analysis pipelines from the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), including both PET and MR imaging workflows. These tools are optimized for disease progression modeling and understanding therapeutic response and have been validated across multicenter studies.

Advanced Neuroimaging Techniques

We enable regional quantification of amyloid and tau pathology to help differentiate disease stages and provide more granular insights to support exploratory endpoints in early and late-phase Alzheimer’s disease clinical trials.

Established Visual Read Paradigms

Perceptive has established visual read paradigms to support eligibility, safety, and efficacy in CNS clinical trials with PET and/or MR images. The independent reads are performed by experienced neuroradiologists who are trained on study specific requirements, utilizing state-of-the-art technology.

Scientific Depth Across CNS Drug Development

Our close collaboration with preclinical and translational imaging leaders keeps us at the forefront of neuroscience research innovation. This connection to early science informs our clinical imaging strategies and ensures alignment with emerging targets and modalities.

Strong Imaging Core Lab Presence in APAC

Perceptive is well-established across APAC, including China, where we support large-scale CNS trials with local infrastructure, regulatory expertise, and site management. We deliver consistent imaging quality and meet faster timelines where other imaging vendors for clinical trials struggle to scale.

Logo

Meet our Leadership in CNS Clinical Trials

The CNS imaging team includes over 20 dedicated scientists and medical directors with deep expertise in neuroimaging biomarkers, disease progression modeling, operationalizing clinical trial imaging needs, and regulatory strategy. Our CNS imaging experts serve as an extension of your team, working closely on optimizing imaging protocols, so your trial is done right – the first time.

David Cash

David Cash, PhD

+
Senior Medical Director

An acknowledged expert in neuroimaging of Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) and other forms of dementia, Prof. Cash brings 20 years of experience to Perceptive. He actively participates on various national and international committees, including DIAN, ADNI, GENFI, and has led the ISTAART Neuroimaging PIA, an organization of over 1700 neuroimaging researchers working in dementia. His research focuses on identifying early signs and characterizing the preclinical stages of dementias and how these changes can better inform clinical trials. He has set up, managed, and analyzed numerous large-scale multi-center studies analyzing biomarkers and brain imaging data.

Rohit Sood

Rohit Sood, MD, PhD

+
Vice President, Scientific and Medical Services

Dr. Rohit Sood has contributed as a scientific lead on over 160 imaging clinical trials spanning the entire spectrum, from early to late phase, across multiple therapeutic areas including more than 40 in neurological indications. He has contributed to the science on several Neuro-oncology, Neurodegenerative, Neuropsychiatry and Rare disease clinical trials and has collaborated with our study sponsors to develop criteria for evaluating the eligibility, efficacy, and safety aspects of their studies. As a senior member of several scientific organizations and societies, Dr. Sood is actively engaged in furthering the science in the clinical trial space.

Elif Sikoglu, PhD

+
Senior Medical Director

Dr. Elif Sikoglu brings 20+ years of experience in imaging, specifically focusing on advanced MRI applications to understand disease mechanisms and treatment effects.
She has been scientific lead for over 200 imaging clinical trials (early to late phase) across multiple neurological and psychiatric indications including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease, Multiple Sclerosis, Stroke, mood disorders and rare diseases. She has played critical role in development and implementation of acquisition guidelines,
visual read review criteria and quantitative analysis approaches. Elif provides scientific leadership in adaptation and operationalization of imaging biomarkers in CNS clinical trials.

Sam Lockhart, PhD

+
Senior Scientific Director

Dr. Samuel Lockhart is a Neuroscientist with 15+ years’ experience investigating late-life brain health using imaging, cognitive, and biomarker data, aiming to develop interventions for preventing disease and decline. Having worked with multiple NIH Alzheimer’s Disease Research Centers (ADRCs), Dr. Lockhart has over 90 publications on aging and neurodegenerative disease, was founding Co-Leader of the Wake Forest ADRC Imaging Biomarker Core, and led brain imaging ancillaries to clinical trials impacting brain health. Sam continues to provide industry scientific leadership in the design and implementation of imaging biomarker solutions in clinical trials.

End-to-End Clinical Neuroimaging Services

As a neuroscience imaging CRO, Perceptive offers a comprehensive suite of clinical trial imaging services tailored to the unique demands of CNS studies:

Protocol and imaging charter development

Regulatory consultation and IND/CTA support

Site selection, qualification, and training

Centralized blinded independent reads (PET, DaT SPECT, MRI)

Image acquisition and data collection with fast turn-around-time image QC and data transfer

Quantitative analysis: SUVR, Centiloid, Extent, SBR, volumetrics, functional/structural connectivity, perfusion, brain metabolites

Imaging biomarker strategy for eligibility, efficacy, and safety endpoints

Continuous scientific support to drive your trial's success

Neuroscience Clinical Research Expertise

Perceptive can work with any CNS indication and modality (including exploratory tracers) to support qualitative and quantitative endpoints, including but not limited to:

CNS Indications
Quantitative Assessments
Visual Reads
Alzheimer’s Disease Amyloid PET SUVr, Centiloid, IQ, Extent; TauA PET SUVr, IQ, Extent; MRI volumetrics/cortical thickness, DTI Eligibility and Safety Reads (including PET positivity, MRI ARIA-E, ARIA-H)
Parkinson’s Disease DaT SPECT SBR; MRI volumetrics/cortical thickness, DTI white matter integrity, NM-MT neuromelanin Eligibility and Safety Reads (including DaT SPECT positivity, MRI brain abnormalities)
Multiple Sclerosis fMRI functional activity and connectivity, DTI white matter integrity, MTR macromolecular structure Lesion Evolution Tracking
Stroke / Traumatic Brain Injury DTI white matter integrity, ASL blood perfusion Semi qualitative lesion/injury assessments
Neuropsychiatric Disorders: ADHD, ASD, Mood Disorders, Addiction fMRI functional activity and connectivity, DTI white matter integrity, MRS brain metabolites
Logo

Case Study: Rapid Scale-Up for Phase 3 Alzheimer’s Disease Clinical Trial

Learn how Perceptive enabled a top-5 pharmaceutical sponsor to meet aggressive timelines for a pivotal Alzheimer’s trial evaluating an amyloid-targeting therapy.

Logo

CNS Quantitative Imaging & Analysis

Perceptive Imaging supports a full spectrum of quantitative imaging methods tailored to the complexity of CNS clinical trials. Our analysis pipelines are validated, regulator-aligned, and optimized for multicenter studies—ensuring consistency, reproducibility, and statistical power across imaging modalities and endpoints.

All imaging data undergo rigorous quality control, including automated triage, manual review, and centralized adjudication by subspecialty-trained readers. Our pipelines are CFR Part 11–compliant and designed to support both primary and exploratory endpoints in regulatory submissions.

PET Imaging: SUVR, Centiloid, and Spatial Extent

  • Standardized Uptake Value Ratios (SUVR)
  • Centiloid scaling for cross-tracer harmonization
  • Amplitude and Extent metrics for regional tau burden

MRI Volumetrics

  • 3D T1-weighted volumetric analysis
  • Longitudinal cortical thickness and subcortical volume tracking

Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI)

  • FA, MD, and tract-based spatial statistics for white matter integrity

Functional MRI (fMRI)

  • Resting-state and task-based BOLD connectivity
  • Network-level and connectome analysis

Arterial Spin Labeling (ASL)

  • Cerebral blood flow quantification

Magnetization Transfer Imaging (MTI)

  • MTR-based assessment of demyelination/remyelination

Neuromelanin Imaging (NM-MT)

  • Visualization of substantia nigra and locus coeruleus in PD

MR Spectroscopy (MRS)

  • Quantification of NAA, choline, creatine, and other metabolites
Logo

Radiotracer Supply and Management

We coordinate the full lifecycle of radiotracer logistics with timely delivery, regulatory compliance, and seamless integration with imaging workflows, including:

  • Vendor qualification and oversight
  • Dose ordering, scheduling, and reconciliation
  • Regulatory documentation and site onboarding
  • Imaging centers / manufacturing partners coordination
  • Global logistics support

With infrastructure across North America, Europe, and APAC, we help sponsors navigate regional requirements, scale efficiently, and maintain consistent imaging quality—even in challenging logistics environments.

Radiotracer Supply & Management
Logo

Neuroscience CRO with Early Phase Continuity

Perceptive Imaging frequently collaborates with our early-phase teams to ensure continuity from preclinical and translational studies.

Logo

How Can We Help?

Reach out today and one of our solution experts will be in touch to learn about your specific needs.

Smiling woman with curly hair wearing glasses and a beige sweater, working on a laptop, with abstract blue and white geometric shapes in the background.