Abstract
The goal of this study was to describe the attitudes of U.S. neurologists specializing in dementia toward the use of amyloid imaging in the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). A cross-sectional electronic physician survey of dementia specialists at U.S. medical schools was performed. The response rate for the survey was 51.9% (135/260). Greater than 83% of respondents plan to use amyloid imaging to evaluate patients for AD. Most respondents intend to use amyloid imaging as an adjunctive diagnostic modality to confirm (77%) or rule-out (73%) a diagnosis of AD; 24% plan to use amyloid imaging to screen asymptomatic individuals for evidence of cerebral amyloid. Specialists who do not intend to use amyloid imaging (16%) express concern about the cost (73%), the usefulness (55%), and likelihood of patient (55%) and clinician (59%) misinterpretation of findings. The need for patient pre-test counseling was endorsed by a large percentage (92%) of dementia specialists (higher than for genetic testing (82%)). In conclusion, dementia specialists, particularly young specialists, are likely to be early adopters of amyloid imaging. Assuming ready availability, this new technology would be used as a confirmatory test in the evaluation of AD, as well as a screening tool for asymptomatic pathology. Specialists recognize the complexity of interpreting amyloid imaging findings and the need for patient counseling before undergoing testing.