
Medical imaging for thinking and memory issues happens much later in Black patients than in their white and Hispanic counterparts, new research shows. A study to be presented Thursday at a meeting of radiologists also revealed that Black patients were less often tested with MRIs, a preferred way to identify brain abnormalities that can cause cognitive issues. Other research has found that Black people have a greater risk of Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia and they are more likely to be diagnosed later than white patients. “If disparity in obtaining access to neuroimaging is one possible barrier that delays diagnosis, it is important to identify this and figure out possible solutions to benefit these patients and prevent a delayed diagnosis,” said lead author Dr. Joshua Wibecan, a radiology resident at Boston Medical Center. Increasingly, imaging with MRI plays a big part in diagnosing thinking impairments. But it has been unclear how differences in access to imaging may lead to delayed diagnoses. Wibecan’s team studied four years of imaging data at Boston Medical Center. As a safety net medical center, it cares for people regardless of their ability to pay or insurance status. Researchers identified all outpatient CTs and CT angiographies of the head, as well as MRI brain exams done for mental impairment. Self-identified Black patients were older when they received imaging and… read on > read on >