If your healthcare provider believes you may have diabetes insipidus, you will need certain exams and tests to be sure. You should expect to be asked questions about your health history, your symptoms, risk factors and family history of disease. Understanding your background will help your provider make a diagnosis.

Your provider may also give you a physical exam.

An antidiuretic hormone (ADH) function test stimulates the body with synthetic ADH to determine how the kidneys respond to it.

Your provider may use magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to see if the hypothalamus or pituitary gland are damaged, a potential cause of diabetes insipidus.

A urine electrolyte test looks at the levels of salt and other waste-related chemicals in urine.

A water deprivation test uses blood and urine tests to measure sodium levels, mineral levels, ADH in the blood, urine output and the ability of your kidneys to concentrate urine.