‘Super' Scans Give Hope In Dementia Battle

High-tech test spots disease in just one day

- Hannah Geissler

Scientists have heralded a “fantastic development” in treating dementia, thanks to artificial intelligence.

A computer program is capable of spotting tiny changes in the brain after a single scan, raising hopes of earlier treatment – and even an end to symptoms altogether.

The breakthrough could mean patients get the results in one day and save the NHS millions.

Dr Timothy Rittman, the Cambridge scientist leading the study, said: “This is exciting because there are a lot of machine learning algorithms that have been applied to neuroimaging but none of them have really been put to the test in the real world.”

The technology may also predict how a confirmed dementia sufferer’s difficulties with memory and thinking are likely to progress.

UK scientists say the revolutionary AI system can detect minute patterns invisible to the naked eye.

Researchers hope earlier diagnosis and treatment might result in fewer admissions to hospital and a huge cut in social care bills. The computer program itself has also been relatively low-cost to develop as it uses brain scans already taken as part of routine care.

Consultant neurologist Dr Rittman, leading the study with colleagues at Cambridge University, told the BBC the approach is a “fantastic development”.

He continued: “These set of diseases are really devastating for people. Anything I can do to be more confident about the diagnosis, to give them more information about the likely progression of the disease to help them plan their lives is a great thing.”

Dr Rittman added: “At the moment the route to diagnosis can be long and can involve coming back to the clinic multiple times.