When a diagnosis of Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD) is suspected, your doctor will likely order a number of tests. These can be helpful to either exclude other neurological diseases or support the CJD diagnosis.

Some of these tests that need to be performed may be frightening or confusing to a patient, so ask your doctor if you, or someone you trust, can be with them during each test. Furthermore, do not be afraid to ask for an explanation if you do not understand why a certain test is being done and what it involves. When you do get the results, keep in mind that test results are only meaningful when correlated with the medical history, particularly symptoms and exam findings.

The following sections describe some of the tests your doctor might order to help make a diagnosis.