Alzheimer's Imaging Consortium.

Area of Science:

• Neurology
• Radiology
• Medical Education

Background:

• Accurate brain MRI interpretation is crucial for dementia diagnosis.
• Limited resources and radiologist expertise in low-income settings like Uganda hinder effective dementia diagnosis.
• Subtle findings on brain MRI, critical for dementia diagnosis, are often overlooked.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of a training intervention on brain MRI interpretation skills.
• To improve the diagnostic accuracy of radiologists and radiology residents in dementia cases.
• To address the need for enhanced MRI interpretation skills in resource-limited settings.

Main Methods:

• A pre- and post-test design was used with practicing radiologists and radiology residents.
• Participants completed assessments before and after a one-day intensive training workshop.
• Statistical analysis, including the Mann-Whitney U test, evaluated changes in knowledge and skills.

Main Results:

• A significant increase in theoretical knowledge (p<0.001) and image interpretation skills (p<0.001) was observed post-training.
• Participants with fewer years of experience showed greater improvements in knowledge and skills.
• Thirty-one participants, including 17 radiologists and 14 residents, completed all study phases.

Conclusions:

• Targeted educational programs are critical for improving brain MRI interpretation skills.
• Enhanced interpretation abilities lead to more accurate dementia diagnosis.
• The training intervention demonstrated significant positive effects on participants' diagnostic capabilities.