Kendall Jenner says a brain scan proves she '100% has anxiety' in a new episode of 'The Kardashians'

• Kendall Jenner said a brain scan showed she "100% has anxiety" on "The Kardashians."
• She said she wanted her sisters to get one too. "It's really interesting," she said.

Kendall Jenner said a brain scan showed she "100% has anxiety," the model and reality star said on an upcoming episode of "The Kardashians."

In the preview, Jenner told her sister Khloe Kardashian that the doctor "scans your brain and he tells you, like he sees where it's like firing. Like he said, 'You 100% have anxiety. I can see it all in your brain.' It's really interesting."

Jenner said she wanted Kardashian to get a scan too, especially given her ex's cheating scandal.

"I think you would really like it. I'm actually so interested to see how your brain works," said Jenner, adding that she'd like to see how all her siblings' brains operate.

Jenner has been open about her anxiety in the past. In an August Vogue article, she said she combats it by drinking tea, reading, or writing in a journal.

"I have struggled with anxiety for years and it can have good and bad days," she said. "If I need to wind down, I really make a point to take 15 minutes to meditate to settle my anxiety so I can get a good night's rest."

Brain scans can help diagnose various conditions

Jenner presumably received a scan from controversial celebrity psychiatrist Dr. Daniel Amen, who has worked with stars including Justin Bieber, Bella Hadid, Meghan Trainor, and plenty of former NFL players and high-profile entrepreneurs.

Amen is a proponent of SPECT scans, which measures blood flow to different areas of the brain. It first involves getting an IV of a radioactive substance.

They're typically used for diagnosing and monitoring brain diseases like Alzheimer's, stroke, and seizures, according to the Mayo Clinic.

But Amen uses them to better understand all manner of conditions, from obesity and performance anxiety to substance abuse and ADHD, and to demonstrate to patients that their symptoms aren't all in their heads. "SPECT is invaluable to decrease stigma and increase compliance, as people see their problems as medical and not moral," he previously told Insider.

A brain scan isn't necessary to diagnose anxiety — and can even be harmful

Other types of brain scans are better-known ways to detect anxiety, Dr. Renee Solomon, a clinical psychologist and owner of Forward Recovery.

"There is a great deal of literature that shows that brain scans can detect anxiety," she told Insider. For example, she said, one study showed CT scans can reveal damage to the frontal lobe in anxious people, and other research has shown MRIs can pick up on anxiety. "We need a lot more research in this area," Solomon said.

But there's no evidence brain imaging should be used to diagnose anxiety, Dr. Sid Khurana, a psychiatrist and the medical director at Nevada Mental Health, told Insider. In fact, he said, scans "can be rather harmful, as it can delay treatment, can be expensive, and potentially expose patients to radiation/exposure which they never needed to be exposed to."

Rather, clinicians can make an official diagnosis when patients meet various criteria laid out in the DSM 5, like being excessively anxious or worried most days about a variety of events. Khurana said routine blood work can also help rule out other conditions.

Solomon recommends getting "a comprehensive evaluation" from a psychiatrist or a psychologist, which may or may not include a brain scan. The results probably won't shock you: "People typically know when they are anxious," she said.