NEUROIMAGING APPLICATIONS IN DIAGNOSIS AND MONITORING OF PSYCHIATRIC DISORDERS

Introduction: Psychiatric disorders remain leading causes of global disability, yet their diagnosis and monitoring rely primarily on clinical evaluation. Neuroimaging has emerged as a promising tool to complement clinical practice by providing objective biomarkers of disease onset, progression, and treatment response. Objective: This review aimed to systematically evaluate recent evidence on the use of neuroimaging for diagnosis and longitudinal monitoring of psychiatric disorders. Secondary objectives included comparing different modalities such as MRI, fMRI, PET, and EEG-based imaging, assessing their clinical utility, and exploring translational potential for personalized care. Methods: A systematic search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, LILACS, ClinicalTrials.gov, and ICTRP. Inclusion criteria covered studies published within the past 5 years, with extension up to 10 years if fewer than 10 eligible publications were found. Only human studies were prioritized, though animal and in vitro models were reviewed separately. Study selection, data extraction, and risk of bias assessment followed PRISMA 2020, using RoB 2, ROBINS-I, and QUADAS-2. Certainty of evidence was graded with GRADE. Results and Discussion: From 2,146 identified records, 28 met inclusion criteria. Findings revealed significant contributions of structural and functional MRI in schizophrenia, major depression, and bipolar disorder, while PET imaging showed utility in dementia-related psychiatric syndromes. Evidence suggested that neuroimaging aids in early diagnosis, prediction of relapse, and monitoring of treatment response, though methodological heterogeneity limited generalization. Conclusion: Neuroimaging provides valuable insights into brain alterations associated with psychiatric disorders and holds promise for clinical translation. However, current evidence highlights the need for larger, standardized studies before routine implementation in clinical psychiatry. Descriptors: Neuroimaging, Psychiatry, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Positron-Emission Tomography