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UK scanner shortage risks delayed dementia diagnoses and restricted treatment access
A shortage of brain scanners in the UK could delay dementia diagnoses and limit access to newer treatments, according to analysis by Alzheimer's Society. The charity says the UK has the lowest rate of MRI, CT and PET scanners among 16 comparable developed economies, leaving the NHS poorly placed to assess patients promptly or support wider use of treatments if NHS access changes.
In England, only two in three people with dementia have a formal diagnosis, and scanner availability varies widely between NHS areas. Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent has 13 MRI and CT scanners per million people, compared with 35 in North Central London; the charity estimates 1,800 more scanners would be needed to match France’s rate. Lecanemab and donanemab require regular brain scans and work best early in the disease, while a reported 32 per cent shortfall in consultant radiologists could also limit diagnostic capacity.
In short
- The UK has the lowest scanner rate among 16 comparable economies.
- Scanner access varies nearly three-fold between English NHS areas.
- Radiologist shortages could constrain diagnosis and treatment access.
Explained simply
Dementia is a group of conditions that affect memory and thinking, and doctors use brain scans alongside other assessments to help identify its cause and stage. In England, about two in three people with dementia have a formal diagnosis.
The NHS uses MRI, CT and PET scanners to examine the brain. Their availability differs between areas, and consultant radiologists interpret scan results, so limited equipment or staff can affect how quickly patients are assessed.
Lecanemab and donanemab are newer treatments for some people with Alzheimer’s disease, a common cause of dementia. They are intended for early stages and require regular brain scans, making scanner capacity relevant to both diagnosis and treatment access.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Dementia patients risk missing out on timely diagnosis and breakthrough drugs due to critical shortage of brain scanners”.