ACR, Alzheimer’s Association launch new amyloid brain PET study focused on underserved populations
The American College of Radiology and the Alzheimer’s Association have kicked off recruiting for a new study investigating the value of brain amyloid PET scanning in treating patients with memory disorders.
On Thursday, the pair announced they are working with manufacturing partners Eli Lilly and Co., GE Healthcare and Life Molecular Imaging to enroll a highly diverse group of patients, with a special focus on African American and Latino participants.
This new investigation builds off the 18,000-plus participant IDEAS Study launched in 2016, which produced late-stage data supporting the use of brain amyloid PET imaging in diagnosing Alzheimer’s disease.
At least 4,000 of the estimated 7,000 New IDEAS enrollees will be Black and Hispanic, making it one of the most diverse Alzheimer’s studies ever launched, the organizations said in their Dec. 10 announcement.
“We hope that including racial and ethnic diversity will help us better understand the impact of amyloid PET scans on medical management and health outcomes in mild cognitive impairment and dementia cases in a diverse population—where we now have limited information,” Maria C. Carrillo, PhD, Alzheimer’s Association chief science officer, said in a statement. “As treatment options advance in the pipeline and the number of people with Alzheimer’s and other dementia continues to grow, we need to significantly advance our understanding of early detection and diagnosis, especially in underserved populations.”
As part of the trial, patients with typical and atypical MCI and Alzheimer’s dementia, and early onset cognitive impairment, will receive brain amyloid PET scans at one of 350 sites in the U.S. Eligible Medicare beneficiaries will undergo brain amyloid PET scans and researchers will also collect blood and saliva samples for analysis.
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services—which is advising the study—will reimburse participating providers for care related to the brain scans.
The ultimate goal is to determine if FDA-approved amyloid brain PET imaging can enhance treatment decisions and inform or alter a patient’s plan to improve their quality of life.
“The New IDEAS study can help improve health equity by making Alzheimer’s research results more relevant across diverse populations,” Etta Pisano, MD, ACR’s chief science officer, added. “We strongly urge dementia specialists and PET imaging providers serving large, multicultural populations to actively take part in this important trial.”
Matt joined Chicago’s TriMed team in 2018 covering all areas of health imaging after two years reporting on the hospital field. He holds a bachelor’s in English from UIC, and enjoys a good cup of coffee and an interesting documentary.