How Is ADC Diagnosed and Treated?
Three tests are used to diagnose ADC: • Mental status exam (neuropsychological testing)—The main way to diagnose and evaluate ADC, the mental status exam, is designed to reveal problems like memory loss, disorientation, concentration, and abstract thinking, as well as mood swings. • Standard scan— MRI or CT scans are used to rule out other causes of symptoms of ADC (such as toxoplasmosis , progressive multifocal leukoencephalopathy, or lymphoma ). • Spinal tap (lumbar puncture)—Like the scans, examination of cerebrospinal fluid (which fills the ventricles of the brain and central canal of the spinal cord) with a spinal tap is useful for detecting other conditions. The best treatments for ADC seem to be anti-HIV drugs. In general, an anti-HIV regimen with the extra goal of treating ADC follows three basic principles: • ADC patients should be started on a potent (aggressive) antiretroviral therapy to decrease HIV levels to below the limit of detection in viral load tests • Consideration
