Healthcare (Commonwealth Union) – Scientists from the University College London (UCL) have discovered that the time needed to perform diagnostic MRI scans for dementia can be reduced to just one-third of the usual duration.
Published in Alzheimer’s & Dementia, the study is being hailed as a major step towards ending the “postcode lottery” in dementia diagnosis. The researchers say that shorter MRI scans would make the process quicker, more comfortable for patients, and more affordable, allowing far more people to be scanned each day — potentially doubling daily capacity.
Professor Nick Fox, senior author of the study and Director of the UCL Dementia Research Centre at the Queen Square Institute of Neurology, pointed out that with new treatments emerging that can slow or alter the progression of dementia, it’s crucial that MRI scans are easily accessible. These scans are often a vital part of diagnosing dementia and ensuring patients can receive appropriate treatment.
He further indicated that to assist in making this a reality, the team conducted the initial study exploring the way new imaging methods – called parallel imaging – could make MRI scans in clinics faster. The researcher’s objective is to move closer to a future where individuals with dementia can receive a diagnosis via a scan.
MRI scans are crucial for accurately diagnosing dementia, helping doctors both rule out other possible causes of symptoms and determine the specific type of dementia. New disease-modifying drugs, such as lecanemab and donanemab, also require MRI scans before treatment begins and throughout therapy for safety checks. Cutting the cost of these scans could therefore help reduce the overall expense of providing such treatments.
The ADMIRA study (Accelerated Magnetic Resonance Imaging for Alzheimer’s Disease), partly funded by the Alzheimer’s Society’s Heather Corrie Impact Fund, set out to test how reliable fast MRI scans are compared with standard clinical scans. Neurologists involved in the study collaborated with researchers from the UCL Hawkes Institute and the UCL Advanced Research Computing Centre within the Faculty of Engineering.
As part of the research, 92 patients scheduled for routine MRI brain scans were examined in an outpatient setting. The accelerated scans were performed using new imaging techniques that enhanced image quality. Three neuroradiologists then reviewed the scans without knowing whether they were examining the rapid or standard versions.
Professor Geoff Parker, a co-author from the UCL Hawkes Institute and UCL Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, indicated that their work has benefited from the latest advances in scanner technology and they wanted to find out how much they could speed up the scanning process while still producing images clear enough for accurate diagnosis.
The researchers discovered that the faster MRI scans cut scanning time by 63%, while proving just as accurate and dependable as the standard scans used for diagnosis and visual assessment.
Dr. Miguel Rosa-Grilo, the study’s first author from UCL Queen Square Institute of Neurology, indicated that they expected the new scan to match the standard one in quality, given how clear the images were—but it was impressive to see just how well it performed.
Richard Oakley, Associate Director of Research and Innovation at Alzheimer’s Society, pointed out that dementia is the leading cause of death in the UK, yet one in three people living with it remain undiagnosed. He further indicated that getting an early and precise diagnosis is more than a label—it’s the essential first step to receiving the right care, support, and treatment.
“While MRIs aren’t the only way to diagnosis dementia, very few people with concerns about their cognitive health are offered one as part of the diagnosis process, mainly because they are expensive and not widely available. These faster MRIs, which take less than half the time of standard scans, could help end this postcode lottery in dementia diagnosis, cut costs and potentially give more people access to them.
