Your health care provider will likely give you physical and neurological exams, test your strength, feeling and reflexes, and listen to your heart and the vessels in your neck. An imaging test, usually an MRI or Computerized Tomography (CT) scan, can be used to quickly identify what’s causing the aphasia.

A brain CT can be used to detect:

• Tumors.
• Sinus-related bone issues.
• Skull fractures.
• Stroke.
• Structural brain issues.
• Causes of sudden symptoms such as severe headaches, loss of consciousness, seizures and weakness.
• Fluid buildup in the brain, also called hydrocephalus.
• Traumatic brain injuries. These include bruising, also called contusions. They include pooling blood, also called hematomas. And they include bleeding, also called hemorrhaging.

Brain CT scans can help healthcare professionals during procedures such as biopsies, where a small sample of brain tissue is taken for testing. Brain CT scans also are used to guide brain surgeries by showing the exact location of a tumor or an area of interest. In addition, CT scans may be used to plan and guide radiation therapy. This makes sure the treatment focuses on the right spot.

In some cases, such as stroke, more areas of the body may need scanning, including the neck.

There is some overlap in what CT scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans evaluate. MRI scans can produce more-detailed images for certain conditions, but CT scans are faster.

Compared with MRIs, CT scans:

• Cost less.
• Are more widely available.
• Are safer for people who have pacemakers or implanted metal devices.
• May be more comfortable for those who feel nervous or uncomfortable in tight spaces.

A speech-language pathologist can complete a comprehensive language assessment to confirm the presence of aphasia and determine the appropriate course of language treatment. The assessment helps find out whether the person can:

• Name common objects
• Engage in a conversation
• Understand and use words correctly
• Answer questions about something read or heard
• Repeat words and sentences
• Follow instructions
• Answer yes-no questions and respond to open-ended questions about common subjects
• Read and write

Common Treatment Approaches:

Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) use a range of therapies, often customized to the type and severity of aphasia, as well as the patient’s daily living goals: 

• AAC Device Therapy – Augmentative and alternative communication devices to support expression.
• PACE Therapy – Promotes language use in meaningful contexts.
• Script Training – Repeating scripted phrases to improve fluency and automaticity.
• Visual Action Therapy – Uses visual cues to support naming and comprehension.
• Conversational Coaching – Practicing real-life conversations with a therapist.
• Life Participation Approach – Focuses on activities that matter most to the person.
• Melodic Intonation Therapy – Uses singing to improve speech production.
• Word Retrieval Cuing – Strategies to help recall words.
• Multiple Oral Reading (MOR) – Improves reading comprehension and fluency.
• Tele-Rehabilitation – Remote therapy sessions for ongoing support.
• Supported Reading Comprehension – Reading with assistance to build understanding.
• Gestural Facilitation of Naming (GES) – Uses gestures to aid word retrieval.
• Response Elaboration Training (RET) – Expands responses to encourage more detailed communication.
• Reciprocal Scaffolding Treatment (RST) – Partners support each other in communication.
• Treatment of Underlying Forms (TUF) – Addresses underlying language structures.
• Semantic Feature Analysis – Breaks down word meanings to improve understanding.
• Constraint-Induced Language Therapy – Encourages use of language in daily activities.
• Sentence Production Program for Aphasia – Targets sentence building.
• Oral Reading for Language in Aphasia (ORLA) – Improves reading skills.
• Supported Communication Intervention (SCI) – Uses prompts and strategies to support communication.
• Verb Network Strengthening Treatment (VNeST) – Builds verb knowledge for better sentence use.
• Supported Conversation for Adults with Aphasia (SCA™) – Structured conversation practice.

Innovative and Emerging Approaches

Recent research highlights new methods, such as:

• Behavioral Intervention + Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation (tDCS) for primary progressive aphasia.
• Aphasia-friendly research summaries to make science accessible to patients and families.
• Telepractice script training for progressive aphasia.
• Self-administered hearing tests for those with aphasia and hearing loss.