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EFNS task force: the use of neuroimaging in the diagnosis of dementia
Author(s) -
Filippi M.,
Agosta F.,
Barkhof F.,
Dubois B.,
Fox N. C.,
Frisoni G. B.,
Jack C. R.,
Johannsen P.,
Miller B. L.,
Nestor P. J.,
Scheltens P.,
Sorbi S.,
Teipel S.,
Thompson P. M.,
Wahlund L.O.
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
european journal of neurology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.881
H-Index - 124
eISSN - 1468-1331
pISSN - 1351-5101
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2012.03859.x
Subject(s) - dementia , neuroimaging , medicine , cognition , disease , vascular dementia , task force , medline , clinical practice , systematic review , intensive care medicine , psychiatry , pathology , physical therapy , public administration , political science , law
Background and purpose The E uropean F ederation of the N eurological S ocieties ( EFNS ) guidelines on the use of neuroimaging in the diagnosis and management of dementia are designed to revise and expand previous EFNS recommendations for the diagnosis and management of patients with A lzheimer's disease ( AD ) and to provide an overview of the evidence for the use of neuroimaging techniques in non‐ AD dementias, as well as general recommendations that apply to all types of dementia in clinical practice. Methods The task force working group reviewed evidence from original research articles, meta‐analyses and systematic reviews, published before A pril 2012. The evidence was classified, and consensus recommendations were given and graded according to the EFNS guidance regulations. Results Structural imaging, which should be performed at least once in the diagnostic work‐up of patients with cognitive impairment, serves to exclude other potentially treatable diseases, to recognize vascular lesions and to identify specific findings to help distinguish different forms of neurodegenerative types of dementia. Although typical cases of dementia may not benefit from routine functional imaging, these tools are recommended in those cases where diagnosis remains in doubt after clinical and structural imaging work‐up and in particular clinical settings. Amyloid imaging is likely to find clinical utility in several fields, including the stratification of patients with mild cognitive impairment into those with and without underlying AD and the evaluation of atypical AD presentations. Conclusions A number of recommendations and good practice points are made to improve the diagnosis of AD and other dementias.