# Long‐term cost‐effectiveness of a more accurate diagnostic work‐up for dementia

## TL;DR

This study finds that using amyloid PET scans in dementia diagnosis may be cost-effective by helping patients live longer in the community.

## Contribution

The study evaluates the long-term cost-effectiveness of amyloid PET in dementia diagnosis using real-world observational data.

## Key findings

- PET participants lived 0.26 years longer in the community compared to non-PET participants.
- PET had a 76% probability of being cost-effective for extending time in the community.
- There was no statistically significant difference in total costs between PET and non-PET groups.

## Abstract

To address uncertainty about long‐term clinical and economic impacts of an accurate dementia diagnosis, we evaluated the cost‐effectiveness of adding amyloid positron emission tomography (PET) to memory clinic workup over 5 years.

Inverse probability weighting was used to balance covariates between PET (n = 440) and no‐PET (n = 460) participants from the Amsterdam Dementia Cohort. Time in community following diagnosis, time alive, and costs were combined in cost‐effectiveness analyses.

PET participants lived longer in community (0.26 years, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.05 to 0.45) and overall (0.15, CI: 0.02 to 0.27), but did not have statistically different health insurance (€703, CI: −3974 to 5045) or total costs including institutionalization (−€8258, CI: −20,622 to 3377). The probability that PET was cost‐effective for extending time in community was 76% at a €2530 willingness‐to‐pay threshold. The probability that PET yielded cost savings and was more effective for extending time alive was 90%.

Findings in this observational cohort suggest that using amyloid PET in memory clinics may be cost‐effective.

Participants with an amyloid PET in a memory clinic work‐up were compared to those without.The amyloid PET group spent more time in community and alive over 5 years of follow‐up.Amyloid PET had a 76% chance to cost‐effectively extend time in community in uncertainty analysis.

Participants with an amyloid PET in a memory clinic work‐up were compared to those without.

The amyloid PET group spent more time in community and alive over 5 years of follow‐up.

Amyloid PET had a 76% chance to cost‐effectively extend time in community in uncertainty analysis.