Experts update AUC for amyloid, tau PET imaging for first time in more than a decade
Appropriate use criteria for amyloid and tau PET imaging have been updated for the first time in over a decade.
The updated criteria are the result of a collaboration between the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI) and the Alzheimer’s Association. The new AUC refresh marks the first changes made since amyloid and tau imaging criteria for patients with mild cognitive impairment were established in 2013.
The updates were much needed. Since the initial AUC guidelines were first released there have been numerous developments in the field of Alzheimer’s research and care, including new nuclear imaging techniques and the approval of multiple treatments capable of slowing the progression of the neurodegenerative disease. What’s more, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has also updated its reimbursement criteria for amyloid and tau PET imaging, expanding access to the exams, which are an integral part of both diagnosing and treating Alzheimer’s.
“These new criteria focus on optimizing patient care,” Kevin Donohoe, MD, chair of SNMMI’s Committee on Guidance Document Oversight, said in a release. “They will help providers determine the most effective use of these important PET tracers as well as describe clinical scenarios that are not likely to benefit from PET imaging. The AUC also discuss the use of PET imaging for determining eligibility for newly introduced dementia treatments and for following treated patients for response to therapy. It is also expected these AUC will reduce the need for less specific diagnostic testing and provide guidance for safety considerations.”
The new AUC defines 17 specific clinical scenarios, guiding providers on situations when imaging is either “appropriate,” “uncertain” or “rarely appropriate.” For amyloid PET, a team of multidisciplinary experts determined there were seven scenarios when the exam is appropriate, two when its use is uncertain or questionable and eight when it is inappropriate; for tau imaging, the team deemed five clinical scenarios as appropriate, six as uncertain and another six as rarely appropriate.
Patients’ age, medical history, cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, symptoms and prognosis were all considered when developing the criteria, as were individual risk factors specific to Alzheimer’s and other dementias.
The complete updated criteria are published in the Journal of Nuclear Imaging.
In addition to her background in journalism, Hannah also has patient-facing experience in clinical settings, having spent more than 12 years working as a registered rad tech. She began covering the medical imaging industry for Innovate Healthcare in 2021.