A neurologist will carry out the tests to rule out other conditions with similar symptoms, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease or a brain tumor.
The neurological exam is likely to reveal characteristic symptoms as:
- muscle twitching and spasms
- abnormal reflexes
- coordination problems
- people with CJD also may have areas of blindness and changes in visual-spatial perception
What Is Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)? What Is Mad Cow Disease?
What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CDJ)? What Are The Complications Of CJD?
What Are The Causes Of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)?
What Are The Risk Factors Of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)?
How Is Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Transmitted? Can CJD Be Transmitted From Person To Person?
How Is Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Diagnosed? Diagnosing Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)
What Are The Treatment Options For Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)? Prevention Of CJD
What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CDJ)? What Are The Complications Of CJD?
What Are The Causes Of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)?
What Are The Risk Factors Of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)?
How Is Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Transmitted? Can CJD Be Transmitted From Person To Person?
How Is Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Diagnosed? Diagnosing Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)
What Are The Treatment Options For Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)? Prevention Of CJD
- Electroencephalogram (EEG). Using electrodes placed on the scalp, this test measures the brain's electrical activity. People with CJD and vCJD show a characteristically abnormal pattern.
- Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) . It uses radio waves and a magnetic field to create cross-sectional images of the head and body. It is especially useful in diagnosing brain disorders.
- Spinal fluid tests. Cerebral spinal fluid surrounds and cushions the brain and spinal cord. In a test called a lumbar puncture (also known as a spinal tap) doctors use a needle to withdraw a small amount of this fluid for testing. The presence of a particular protein in spinal fluid is often an indication of CJD or vCJD.
- Tonsil biopsy. Scientists have learned that tissue from the tonsils tends to harbor evidence of vCJD. Examination of a sample of tonsil tissue may help diagnose vCJD. However, this method seems less reliable for other forms of CJD.
- Genetic test. This is a simple blood test to see if there is a mutation (fault) in the gene that produces normal protein. A positive result may indicate inherited prion disease.
- Brain biopsy. It is done under general anesthetic. A surgeon drills a tiny hole into the skull and removes a small piece of brain tissue using a very thin needle.
As a brain biopsy carries the risk of causing brain damage or seizures, it is only performed in a few cases, where there is a concern that the patient does not have CJD but some other treatable condition.
- What Is Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)? What Is Mad Cow Disease?
- What Are The Signs And Symptoms Of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CDJ)? What Are The Complications Of CJD?
- What Are The Causes Of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)?
- What Are The Risk Factors Of Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)?
- How Is Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Transmitted? Can CJD Be Transmitted From Person To Person?
- How Is Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD) Diagnosed? Diagnosing Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)
- What Are The Treatment Options For Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease (CJD)? Prevention Of CJD