Diagnosis

VCI is diagnosed through a combination of cognitive testing and brain imaging.

Cognitive testing is used to help confirm a diagnosis of cognitive impairment. Cognitive tests take many forms but generally involve completing specific tasks or puzzles either in person or on a computer. Based on your performance on these tasks, doctors and psychologists can distinguish between MCI and dementia (see What is Cognitive Impairment), provide information about which areas of the brain are affected, (different cognitive tests can reveal damage to specific areas of the brain), and track the progression of symptoms. 

Brain imaging is used to confirm a diagnosis of VCI. The most common and precise imaging technique for measuring changes to the brain’s vasculature is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). If an MRI is not possible, computed tomography (CT) scanning may be used. An MRI scanner uses a very strong magnetic field to generate images of the inside of your body. A CT scanner uses x-rays.