Survey among experts on the future role of tau-PET in clinical practice and trials

BACKGROUND: Recent advancements in Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarker research and clinical trials prompt reflection on the value and consequently appropriate use of tau positron emission tomography (tau-PET) in the future. METHODS: We conducted an online survey among dementia and PET experts worldwide to investigate the anticipated future role of tau-PET in clinical practice and trials. RESULTS: Two hundred sixty-eight dementia experts, comprising 143 clinicians and 121 researchers, covering six continents participated. The vast majority (90%) fostered a positive attitude toward the added value of tau-PET in clinical practice, particularly for staging, diagnosing, monitoring, and prognostication in a cognitively impaired memory clinic population. Experts anticipated an important role for tau-PET for participant selection (76%–100%) and measuring endpoints (75%–97%), in both anti-amyloid and anti-tau drug trials. DISCUSSION: Our global survey study shows that dementia experts envision an important role for tau-PET in the future, both in clinical practice and in drug trials, beyond current guidelines and practices. Highlights: Dementia experts envision an important role for tau-PET in the future. Experts indicate that a tau-PET scan could influence patient management. Experts anticipate the utility of tau-PET for participant selection and endpoints in drug trials. There is a gap between the anticipated usefulness of tau-PET and current clinical practices.