August 12, 2013

Guideline Title

EFNS task force: the use of neuroimaging in the diagnosis of dementia.

Bibliographic Source(s)

Filippi M, Agosta F, Barkhof F, Dubois B, Fox NC, Frisoni GB, Jack CR, Johannsen P, Miller BL, Nestor PJ, Scheltens P, Sorbi S, Teipel S, Thompson PM, Wahlund LO. EFNS task force: the use of neuroimaging in the diagnosis of dementia. Eur J Neurol. 2012 Dec;19(12):e131-40, 1487-501. [307 references] PubMed External Web Site Policy

Guideline Status

This is the current release of the guideline.

2012 Dec;19(12):e131-40, 1487-501. doi: 10.1111/j.1468-1331.2012.03859.x. Epub 2012 Aug 20.

EFNS task force: the use of neuroimaging in the diagnosis of dementia.

Filippi M, Agosta F, Barkhof F, Dubois B, Fox NC, Frisoni GB, Jack CR, Johannsen P, Miller BL, Nestor PJ, Scheltens P, Sorbi S, Teipel S, Thompson PM, Wahlund LO; European Federation of the Neurologic Societies.

Source

Neuroimaging Research Unit, Division of Neuroscience, Institute of Experimental Neurology, San Raffaele Scientific Institute, Vita-Salute San Raffaele University, Milan, Italy. m.filippi@hsr.it

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:

The European Federation of the Neurological Societies (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 Alzheimer'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 April 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.
© 2012 The Author(s) European Journal of Neurology © 2012 EFNS.