ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Dementia: 2024 Update

Abstract

Dementia is defined by significant chronic or acquired impairment in a single domain or loss of two or more cognitive functions by brain disease or injury. It is a common chronic syndrome in adults and constitutes the fifth leading cause of death in patients >65 years of age. Multiple etiologies of dementia exist, most notably Alzheimer disease, frontotemporal dementia, and dementia with Lewy bodies, as well as other neurologic diseases such as vascular dementia and normal pressure hydrocephalus. In addition to aiding clinicians in selecting the most appropriate imaging test for patients suspected of one of these dementia syndromes, this document highlights the most appropriate initial imaging tests for patients with suspected mild cognitive impairment and rapidly progressive dementia, as well as the most appropriate pre- and posttreatment imaging tests for patients undergoing therapy with antiamyloid monoclonal antibodies.

The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria are evidence-based guidelines for specific clinical conditions that are reviewed annually by a multidisciplinary expert panel. The guideline development and revision process support the systematic analysis of the medical literature from peer reviewed journals. Established methodology principles such as Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation or GRADE are adapted to evaluate the evidence. The RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method User Manual provides the methodology to determine the appropriateness of imaging and treatment procedures for specific clinical scenarios. In those instances where peer reviewed literature is lacking or equivocal, experts may be the primary evidentiary source available to formulate a recommendation.