How is Lewy body dementia (LBD) diagnosed?
Doctors diagnose LBD based on a patient’s medical history, physical and neurological examinations, and possibly blood tests or brain scans to exclude other causes of dementia, movement disorders, or behavioral changes. No medical test can diagnose LBD with absolute certainty during life. When a doctor suspects a person has LBD based on clinical features, they are diagnosed with “probable LBD.” A diagnosis by specialists who are familiar with LBD may be accurate up to 90 percent of the time.
What kind of health care professional diagnoses LBD?
Primary care providers are an appropriate first step for anyone experiencing cognitive, emotional, or physical changes. However, neurologists, geriatric psychiatrists, and neuropsychologists generally have the specialized knowledge necessary to diagnose specific types of dementia or movement disorders. These specialists may require a referral from your primary care provider. Geriatricians, who specialize in treating older adults, are also usually familiar with the different forms of dementia.
What is the long-term outlook for someone with LBD?
The long-term outlook (prognosis) is different for each person and may be affected by their general health or the existence of unrelated illnesses. Because LBD progresses at varying rates, it is not possible to determine how long someone may live with the disease. Research suggests most people live four to seven years with LBD.
For more information on LBD diagnosis, see Lewy body dementia Diagnosis and Assessment. This page for health care professionals contains technical information.
