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An international perspective on advanced neuroimaging: cometh the hour or ivory tower?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  15 August 2011

Craig W. Ritchie ,
David Ames ,
James R. Burke ,
Julian Bustin ,
Peter Connelly ,
Jan Laczo  and
Florence Portet
Craig W. Ritchie*
Affiliation:
Centre for Mental Health, Imperial College London, UK
David Ames
Affiliation:
National Ageing Research Unit, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
James R. Burke
Affiliation:
Memory Disorders Clinic, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, North Carolina, USA
Julian Bustin
Affiliation:
Geriatric Psychiatry, INECO and Neurosciences Institute of the Favaloro Foundation, Buenos, Aires, Argentina
Peter Connelly
Affiliation:
Murray Royal Hospital, Perth, Scotland, UK
Jan Laczo
Affiliation:
Department of Neurology, Charles University, 2nd Medical School, Prague, Czech Republic
Florence Portet
Affiliation:
Neurology B Department, CHU Gui de Chauliac, Montpellier, France
*
Correspondence should be addressed to: Dr. Craig W Ritchie, Centre for Mental Health, Imperial College London, Claybrook Centre, 37 Claybrook Road, Hammersmith, London, UK. Phone: +44 (0) 20 7386 1233; Fax: +44 (0) 20 7386 1216. Email: c.ritchie@imperial.ac.uk
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Abstract

Over the past five to ten years, neuroimaging capability for neurodegenerative diseases has made remarkable progress. However, debate remains as to the true clinical utility of these advanced and costly investigations. Not only is the place of these tests in diagnostic algorithms unclear, but the access to them varies both within and between countries. We sought to gather informed opinion from recognized leaders in the field who can combine both an academic and a clinical perspective on the use of neuroimaging in their own countries. Opinion is presented from Scotland, Argentina, the Czech Republic, France, the USA and Australia. The emerging consensus was one of ongoing caution. While in most countries there was a sense that the use of more advanced imaging techniques was growing, their hour has not yet cometh. However, these techniques, rather than falling from the Ivory Tower, should descend slowly step by step onto fertile and receptive clinics from where better clinical guidelines will emerge.

Keywords

dementianeuroimagingdiagnosismagnetic resonance imagingPET scanamyloidAlzheimer's disease
Type
Review Article
Information
International Psychogeriatrics , Volume 23 , Supplement S2: Clinical use of neuroimaging in dementia: an international perspective , September 2011 , pp. S58 - S64
Copyright
Copyright © International Psychogeriatric Association 2011

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