Schizophrenia
 See all Pictures & Images
Schizophrenia Diagnosis & Tests
Because other diseases can also cause symptoms of psychosis, psychiatrists should make the final diagnosis. The diagnosis is made based on a thorough psychiatric interview of the person and family members. As yet, there are no medical tests for schizophrenia. The following factors may suggest a schizophrenia diagnosis, but do not confirm it:
- Developmental background
- Genetic and family history
- Changes from level of functioning prior to illness
- Course of illness and duration of symptoms
- Response to pharmacological therapy
CT scans of the head and other imaging techniques may identify some changes associated with schizophrenia in the research literature (such as enlarged ventricles in the brain) and may rule out other neurophysiological disorders.
|
