Diagnosing mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) in military service members

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a condition characterized by the disruption of normal brain function caused by a blow to the head. Military service members face an elevated risk of sustaining TBIs due to a variety of factors, including falls, vehicle accidents and explosions that can occur during combat or operational deployments. ?

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Data from the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center indicates that from the 450,000 reported TBIs in U.S. service members, an astonishing 80% fall under the category of mild TBI (mTBI). In the past, mTBI was not considered a serious injury. However, a growing body of evidence has demonstrated the devastating neurological consequences of mTBI, including chronic post-concussion symptoms and various cognitive impairments, affecting memory, sleep, vision, and hearing.

Military mTBI can be challenging to diagnose due to the variability in symptoms and imaging findings, as well as delay of post-injury clinical evaluations. Eyewitness and casualty self-reports are usually the only available information used to diagnose military mTBI in urgent settings of the battlefield.

Using imaging techniques like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computer tomography (CT), among others, researchers have detected microstructural changes in the brains of military service members with mTBI. However, the extent and nature of these changes can vary depending on the time elapsed since the injury, making it challenging to diagnose mTBI through imaging techniques alone.

Identifying neuroimaging biomarkers that can reliably diagnose mTBI and predict adverse outcomes and recovery of patients remains an ongoing research pursuit. In the future, the integration of bioimaging biomarkers with those found in blood, urine, or saliva samples may hold the promise of faster and more accurate diagnostics for mTBI among military service members. This interdisciplinary approach could revolutionize how we address this critical health issue within the armed forces.

Medicortex Finland Plc is developing a diagnostic test kit based on biomarkers found in urine of patients with mTBI. Unlike imaging techniques, the kit can be used in the field without the need for healthcare professionals, electricity, or access to medical facilities, making it a highly practical and accessible means of diagnosing mTBI.

For more information visit www.medicortex.fi.