Evidence-based evaluation of magnetic resonance imaging as a diagnostic tool in dementia workup

Summary, in English

BACKGROUND: The diagnostic utility of magnetic resonance imaging in dementia workups has increased recently. The basic use is to exclude space-occupying processes in the brain. However, magnetic resonance imaging offers major opportunities for studying atrophy of specific brain areas. A great interest has been put in whether atrophy in the medial temporal lobe can serve as an early diagnostic marker for Alzheimer disease.

METHODS AND RESULTS: In this evaluation, we used evidence-based techniques and reviewed more than 400 articles that address this issue. Our main finding is that a variety of methods in studying brain areas were used, and this made it difficult to extract conclusive information in a systematic way.

CONCLUSION: However, we were able to conclude that atrophy of the hippocampus can distinguish patients with Alzheimer disease from healthy subjects, but there was a lack of evidence because of insufficient studies concerning the usefulness of medial temporal lobe atrophy as a diagnostic marker in a more general setting.

• Author: Lars-Olof Wahlund; Ove Almkvist; Kaj Blennow; Knut Engedahl; Aki Johanson; Gunhild Waldemar; Henrike Wolf
• Department/s: Department of Psychology
• Publishing year: 2005
• Language: English
• Pages: 427-437
• Publication/Series: Topics in Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• Volume: 16
• Issue: 6
• Links: http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/01.rmr.0000245463.36148.12
• Document type: Journal article review
• Publisher: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins
• Topic: Psychology
• Keywords: Dementia workup; medial temporal lobe; Alzheimer disease; specificity; sensitivity; likelihood ratios; evidence-based medicine; magnetic resonance imaging; diagnosis
• Status: Published
• ISBN/ISSN/Other: ISSN: 0899-3459