By Alicia Wanek

Common belief is that Alzheimer’s can only truly be diagnosed in an autopsy, but with Envision Imaging/CereScan’s neuro-imaging capabilities combined with advanced processing software, you can get a clear assessment of what’s going on in a person’s brain well before that point.

Dr. Lon White, in a news release from the American Academy of Neurology says, “Diagnosing specific dementias…is complex, but with the large increase in dementia cases expected within the next ten years in the U.S., it will be increasingly important to correctly recognize, diagnose, prevent and treat age-related cognitive decline.”  CereScan is prepared.

The functional brain imaging at CereScan, using SPECT and PET/CT, can improve a doctor’s clinical accuracy in properly diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease from the 70-80% range into the 90%+ range.  Patterns of perfusion levels in these scans can help to indicate the type of dementia or if it is dementia at all.

According to the Alzheimer’s Association, there are approximately 5.3 million people of all ages in the U.S. with Alzheimer’s and another 1 million with other types of dementia.  If you have a family history of dementia, previous head injuries, high blood pressure or high cholesterol, obesity or other risk factors and notice changes in memory or concentration, you may want to investigate further.  However, there are many other factors, which can affect cognitive abilities such as treatable thyroid problems or brain infections that can mask as dementia.

A clear assessment of what’s really going on in the brain can help get an accurate diagnosis and develop an appropriate treatment plan—the earlier the better.

To schedule an appointment or to get further information, visit Envision Imaging at www.envisionimg.com.