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Home > Diabetes Center > About Diabetes > Diabetes Insipidus

Diagnosis

Physical examination and patient history are needed. Diagnosis of diabetes insipidus is suspected when a patient reports unusually large and frequent urine output.

A urinalysis is done to discover dilute urine (low specific gravity).

A water deprivation test may be conducted. The patient consumes no fluids for eight hours while urine output and specific gravity are monitored. Patients with diabetes insipidus continue to produce large amounts of urine despite dehydration. An injection of vasopressin reduces urine volume and produces a concentrated urine in those with pituitary diabetes insipidus (but not nephrogenic diabetes insipidus).

Blood tests may be taken to assess water and salt balance.

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