RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Using visual rating to diagnose dementia: a critical evaluation of MRI atrophy scales
JF Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry
JO J Neurol Neurosurg Psychiatry
FD BMJ Publishing Group Ltd
SP 1225
OP 1233
DO 10.1136/jnnp-2014-310090
VO 86
IS 11
A1 Lorna Harper
A1 Frederik Barkhof
A1 Nick C Fox
A1 Jonathan M Schott
YR 2015
UL http://jnnp.bmj.com/content/86/11/1225.abstract
AB Visual rating scales, developed to assess atrophy in patients with cognitive impairment, offer a cost-effective diagnostic tool that is ideally suited for implementation in clinical practice. By focusing attention on brain regions susceptible to change in dementia and enforcing structured reporting of these findings, visual rating can improve the sensitivity, reliability and diagnostic value of radiological image interpretation. Brain imaging is recommended in all current diagnostic guidelines relating to dementia, and recent guidelines have also recommended the application of medial temporal lobe atrophy rating. Despite these recommendations, and the ease with which rating scales can be applied, there is still relatively low uptake in routine clinical assessments. Careful consideration of atrophy rating scales is needed to verify their diagnostic potential and encourage uptake among clinicians. Determining the added value of combining scores from visual rating in different brain regions may also increase the diagnostic value of these tools.