How is variant CJD diagnosed?
Once a suspected case of variant CJD is reported to the Public Health Agency of Canada’s CJD Surveillance System, the Department coordinates testing and works with case physicians and international experts to confirm the diagnosis. The diagnosis of variant CJD is very difficult, but brain scans, using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), and tonsil biopsy are two types of tests used to establish a probable diagnosis. However, the final confirmation of variant CJD can only be done by examining brain tissue, generally after the patient has died.
