title: The radiological diagnosis of frontotemporal dementia in everyday practice: an audit of reports, review of diagnostic criteria, and proposal for service improvement.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate how commonly valuable diagnostic information regarding the frontotemporal dementias (FTDs) may be missed on routine radiological reporting.
  
  
  METHODS
  The magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) examination results of a series of 39 consecutive patients in whom the diagnosis was initially thought to be a form of FTD were audited. Twenty-two patients satisfied formal diagnostic criteria for subtypes of FTD. The initial non-specialist radiological reports of the MRI examinations were compared with those of a radiologist who specifically examined the images for the possibility of atypical dementia.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Six of the 22 original reports provided a full and accurate description of the radiological findings, while two provided a fully accurate interpretation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Valuable diagnostic information may be missed unless clinicians and radiologists jointly review and discuss brain imaging in cases of dementia. The use of standardised scales may enhance the reporting of MRI examinations for dementia.
authors.affiliation: Cognitive Neurology Research Group, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Dewer
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Exeter, UK.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Rogers
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Exeter, UK.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ricketts
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Derriford Hospital, Plymouth, UK.
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Mukonoweshuro
authors.affiliation: Cognitive Neurology Research Group, University of Exeter Medical School, Exeter, UK. Electronic address: Adam.Zeman@exeter.ac.uk.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zeman
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D057180:Frontotemporal Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008485:Medical Audit; D008875:Middle Aged; D058996:Quality Improvement