Early diagnosis of dementia: which tests are indicated? What are their costs?

摘要: Dementia is reversible in a minority of patients, and these should be diagnosed but without subjecting the majority with irreversible disease to an excessive set investigations. Should battery ancillary investigations performed routinely dementia? Or can tests carried out as clinically indicated? Three arguments are important answer this question. (a) Reversible dementia rare: about 1% cases. (b) If clinical criteria for diagnosing primary degenerative used consistently, results predicted sufficient accuracy, except those blood tests. (c) Treatment has best its most frequent causes: depression drug intoxication; however, treatment medical surgical causes may also effective. Based on three considerations, we propose following guideline setting memory clinic: perform every patient dementia, other tests, such electroencephalography (EEG) computed tomography (CT), indicated.