We have a conflict on our hands regarding beta amyloid PET imaging--something that some see as an important tool to help diagnose Alzheimer's disease. Here's why: The Medical Imaging & Technology Alliance (MITA) wants the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to consider diagnostic endpoints as a basis for covering the procedure. MITA basically argues that PET imaging to search for beta amyloid plaque can aid in diagnosing cognitive dysfunction much earlier than current technology and lead to quicker treatments. But the Medicare Evidence Development and Coverage Advisory Committee, or MEDCAC, determined that there isn't enough evidence to prove that the technology can help improve health outcomes. MITA wants CMS to consider diagnostic endpoints rather than therapeutic ones when it decides whether to cover beta amyloid PET imaging. Release