Medicare Urged to Pay for PET Scans as Screening for Alzheimer's

The Society of Nuclear Medicine has urged the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to make positron emission tomography (PET) scans reimburseable under Medicare when used to screen for Alzheimer's disease.

Researchers recently reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association that in a study of 284 patients, PET scans performed on patients with early dementia were 88 percent accurate in diagnosing Alzheimer's disease.

Dr. Peter S. Conti, Associate Professor of Radiology at the University of Southern California, told a Medicare hearing there are three compelling reasons why PET is a valuable tool for the diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease:

1. PET is more effective than clinical examination early in the dementia process, leading to more effective disease management.
2. PET allows doctors to clearly identify and differentiate between various types of dementia, critical for the initiation of Alzheimer's-specific medication.
3. PET is important for the patient's quality of life. Additional certainty with respect to diagnosis helps the patient and family make more appropriate life choices and helps family members better cope with the condition.

"Providing families and physicians with the means to better manage those with this disease would seem to be a more cost-effective approach to care; we believe this approach should include access to and reimbursement for PET scans," Conti said.

Other sources: Society of Nuclear Medicine