Getting it wrong: the clinical misdiagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.
Two patients whose diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease proved to be incorrect on follow-up are presented. Factors which contributed to the misdiagnosis included failure to obtain collateral history, failure to apply widely accepted diagnostic criteria, over-reliance on structural brain imaging and lack of longitudinal follow-up. Analysis of diagnostic errors may permit avoidance of similar pitfalls in future.
Larner
A J
AJ
Cognitive Function Clinic, Walton Centre for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Lower Lane, Fazakerley, Liverpool, UK. a.larner@thewaltoncentre.nhs.uk
D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001284:Atrophy / Q000175:diagnosis; D001921:Brain / Q000473:pathology; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008487:Medical History Taking / Q000592:standards; D008875:Middle Aged