Research Reveals a Prognostic Role for Imaging in Traumatic Brain Injuries

New research has shown that Magnetic Resonance (MR) Diffusion-Tensor Imaging (DTI) can play an important role in predict outcomes for patients who have suffered concussion injuries.

The researchers, led by Dr. Alhilali from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC; Pittsburgh, PA, USA), used DTI images in a retrospective study and found that there was a central axonal injury component in patients with mTBI and vestibulopathy.


Dr. Alhilali and her colleagues found that MR DTI was a useful tool for the prognosis and diagnosis of mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI) and concussion. The researchers found that patients with concussion had subtle diagnostic differences that imaging might be able to detect, and quantifying these differences could lead to more accurately diagnosis, and prescribed treatments.

Lea M. Alhilali, MD at UPMC, said,”Injuries occur in a continuum of severity, with subtle diagnostic differences that imaging might be able to detect. Ideally, I’d like to see radiology used not only as a diagnostic tool in the evaluation of concussions, but also as a prognostic tool. For instance, our results show that you can detect specific injuries in patients with specific symptoms, indicating that perhaps an objective, measureable injury can be quantified that will improve the diagnosis.”

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