Fibre tracking reveals extent of TBI damage

A new method of high definition fibre tracking can reveal the extent of the damage caused by traumatic brain injury (TBI), according to a new study.

Doctors can now see the neural connections that become broken by TBI and other disorders.

The technique works much like an X-ray and will improve the diagnosis and treatment process for patients.

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh explained that often conventional scans are insufficient to show injury or the improvements a patient makes over time.

Dr David O Okonkwo, co-senior author, stated: "Until now, we have had no objective way of identifying how the injury damaged the patient's brain tissue, predicting how the patient would fare, or planning rehabilitation to maximise the recovery."

However, high-definition fibre tracking could bridge the gap in knowledge by imputing data from sophisticated MRI scanners into computer algorithms to reveal the wiring of the brain and were trauma has been sustained.

The technique could also help explain why patients still often experience headaches up to one year after an initial TBI.

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