Identifying Alzheimer's Disease Early:
Memorial Regional Hospital Adds New Focus to PET Scans
April 2002 — Alzheimer's disease starts slowly. It begins with memory lapses and deteriorates into confusion and a decline in mental ability.
While a cure for the disease is still in its research phase, Memorial Regional Hospital can now detect Alzheimer's disease in its early stages with enhanced PET (Positron Emission Tomography) scan technology. Memorial Regional Hospital is the first healthcare facility in Broward and Dade Counties to use the PET scan procedure for the detection of Alzheimer's disease. PET scans are also used to help identify other brain disorders, cardiac conditions and tumors.
"As people get older, they can develop a form of dementia - a loss of mental function and memory retention - such as Alzheimer's disease," says Barry Charnick, MD, radiologist and Co-Director of PET Operations at Memorial Regional Hospital. "PET scan images can now identify the patterns of the disease, allowing physicians to begin treatment early."
3-D Imaging
The PET Scan is a painless procedure that takes about 15 minutes. Before the scan, the patient receives a radiopharmaceutical intravenously. This is important to the PET scan because the brain absorbs the dose more quickly than the rest of the body.
"The solution contains a chemical that 'highlights' the brain," says Dr. Charnick. "The patient lies on the table, and a ring of detectors around the patient acquires information from the highlighted areas. The information is sent to a computer, which converts the data into 3-D images."
Physicians then study these images for patterns that show normal or abnormal brain function. If a form of dementia is identified, medication may be prescribed in an attempt to improve brain function or delay the onset of Alzheimer's disease. A PET scan that does not detect dementia can be important in narrowing down the cause of the patient's condition.
"When it comes to Alzheimer's disease, finding the disease early is the best treatment tool," says Dr. Charnick. "With the PET scan, we can potentially identify the patterns that lead to dementia two years ahead of the onset of Alzheimer's disease symptoms."
Memory Loss Treatment at Memorial
Patients who experience memory loss because of Alzheimer's disease now have a place to go for help. The new Memorial Memory Disorder Center at Memorial Hospital Pembroke offers treatment and support services for people suffering from memory loss and memory disorders, as well as their families and caregivers. To request an evaluation or to schedule an appointment, you may contact the center at (954) 883-8023.
If you are concerned about Alzheimer's disease and other forms of dementia, make an appointment to see your physician. To find a physician in your area, contact the Memorial Healthcare System Physician Referral Service at (800) 944-DOCS.