Dementia with Lewy Bodies Diagnosis
The only definitive diagnosis of DLB can be made at autopsy, as there are no specific markers to indicate the presence of Lewy bodies. So, the diagnosis of DLB is made based on your medical history, a physical exam, and your symptoms.
In addition to a complete medical history and physical exam, your doctor may order some of the following:
- Blood tests. These are to rule out conditions such as vitamin B12 deficiency and hypothyroidism, or a lack of thyroid hormones.
- Computed tomography scan.
- Electroencephalogram.
- Magnetic resonance imaging.
- Positron emission tomography (PET). PET may detect biochemical changes in an organ or tissue that can identify the onset of a disease process before anatomical changes related to the disease can be seen with other imaging tests.
- Neuropsychological assessments. These tests assess mental functioning and include attention span, memory, language and math skills, and problem-solving skills.
- Psychiatric evaluation. This may be done to rule out a psychiatric condition that may resemble dementia.