Spinal Fluid May Help Alzheimer's Diagnosis A preliminary study shows that someday spinal fluid will help doctors diagnose Alzheimer's disease. Researchers from the Heinrich Heine University in Dusseldorf, Germany reported in the July edition of the journal Nature Medicine reported of the 34 samples of spinal fluid they set apart the 15 samples that were from people with Alzheimer's or an other related condition from the 19 samples from people who didn't have Alzheimer's. Most Alzheimer's patients are determined to have Alzheimer's by symptoms, psychological testing, and medical testing to prove its not another disease