In more recent years, Reza addressed an area of diagnostic practice when he experienced the trauma of having a loved one exhibit the symptoms of dementia, and confronted a faulty diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease. And in resolving the situation at that time, he lent support to efforts to improve diagnostic practice in such cases. See Medicare’s Updated Policies in cases of suspected Alzheimer’s disease.
Improving the Diagnostic Process
In 2015, Georgie developed memory problems that were at first incorrectly diagnosed, and she was placed on Alzheimer’s medications. Dr. Khatib was not satisfied with the thoroughness of the testing procedures that Georgie had received, and arranged a neurological consultation at New York’s Mount Sinai Hospital that included a revealing Amyloid PET Scan. That consultation and PET scan ruled out Alzheimer’s Disease and led to an intensive search for the true cause. Full cardiac testing revealed the actual problem and the correct type of treatment. A heart pacemaker corrected Georgie’s memory loss.
Dr. Khatib then initiated a pilot study through Martin County’s Kane Center and the University of Miami to provide detailed neurological examinations and PET scans to 100 patients then taking Alzheimer’s medications. The study found that 31% of participants evaluated did not have Alzheimer’s. This strongly suggested that before prescribing such medications, the testing of patients should include a full neurological examination, and should include PET scanning.
This graph provides an overview of that study’s results
More about Kane Center and University of Miami can be seen
on the Foundation and Foundation Project Overseas pages.