U.S. regulators have approved the first blood test to help diagnose Alzheimer’s disease, potentially making it easier to find and treat patients with the mind-robbing disease that affects nearly 7

The new test, known as the Lumipulse G pTau217/ß-Amyloid 1-42 Plasma Ratio, detects amyloid plaques through blood testing, a type of protein indicative of Alzheimer's, the Alzheimer's Association explained in a Friday press release. These plaques can be seen in patients through a PET scan, according to the FDA.

The Lumipulse test reduces the need for positron emission tomography (PET) and the need to collect cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) via invasive lumbar puncture, which is required by previously approved tests. The Lumipulse test simply requires a blood sample.