For Patients with Cognitive Impairment, Amyloid PET Leads to Changes in Clinical Management

Amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) leads to changes in clinical management in nearly two thirds of patients with mild cognitive impairment or dementia of uncertain cause, according to an industry-supported study in JAMA.

Over 11,000 Medicare beneficiaries who'd been diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment or dementia by a dementia specialist underwent amyloid PET imaging. Results were considered positive in 55% of the mild cognitive impairment cohort and 70% of the dementia cohort.

Overall, 60% of those with mild cognitive impairment and 64% of those with dementia had a change in their clinical management between their pre- and postimaging assessment. For example, among those with positive PET results, use of Alzheimer drugs increase…