Prognosis
New Blood Test Detects Concussion Better Than Standard Imaging
A handheld device can quickly spot brain injury.
Photographer: David Silverman/Getty Images
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A simple test using a few drops of blood can detect signs of a concussion in just 15 minutes, giving doctors more accurate information about a potential brain injury than standard imaging currently performed in most emergency rooms can provide.
The handheld testing device, called the I-Stat Alinity, is under development by Abbott Laboratories in the U.S. and is used in Europe to test for such things as heart attacks and electrolyte levels. To assess for TBI, the device measures a protein that is released into the bloodstream when astrocytes, the most common cell found in the brain, are injured.