Researchers Use Novel Medical Imaging System to Study Concussion Damage

A Department of Defense (DOD) grant is pushing researchers at the Uniformed Services University (USU) into new reaches of the brain, where they are using cutting-edge technology to understand the effects of mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI) — commonly referred to as concussions — on neurological microstructures.  

While helpful in recognizing prominent abnormalities, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) cannot display the brain’s subtle changes after a concussion and provides an incomplete explanation of what may be causing an injured person’s symptoms. Researchers at USU were interested in the less-evident effects of mission-related injuries like blast exposures or motor vehicle accidents, so they partnered with GE Research to utilize an ultra-high performance MAGNUS MRI machine that would reveal a more detailed understanding of the effects of an mTBI. 

The MAGNUS system offers 2.5 times the tesla per meter per second (T/m/s) and more than double the millitesla per meter (mT/m) used in a regular MRI scanner, allowing it to generate more information about medical images that is especially useful when studying damages to complex and dense brain tissue.   

Said Army Colonel Robert Shih MD about the MAGNUS system: “When imaged on a conventional CT or MRI scanner, we cannot detect any abnormal findings [with most concussion patients]. Our hypothesis is that high-resolution diffusion imaging enabled by MAGNUS’s ultra-high-performance gradients will be able to detect microscopic white matter injury that explains our patients’ symptoms.” 

If the team at USU is successful, they could illuminate the unknown mechanisms behind the debilitating symptoms of mTBIs and contribute to a better understanding of the human brain.  

Concussions in the United States are pervasive, stemming from contact sports and accidental injury. Currently, physicians estimate that 50% of concussions go unreported, which can lead to unaware patients extending the symptoms of their injury or reinjuring their brains. 

The United States Army is committed to creating better care for people affected by concussions, recently investing $2 million into an mHealth project that could identify concussions as they occur without a physician’s diagnosis. The US Army Medical Research and Development Command issued the grant to New York-based Oculogica to create a product that would provide use cases for the armed forces, athletes, and schools that want to identify concussions before a patient is forced to come to a care location.  

The partnership with USU and the DOD is a promising step for GE’s radiology devices, which were recently exposed for their severe security flaws. In late 2020, healthcare cybersecurity vendor CyberMDX discovered that GE’s vulnerabilities could’ve allowed hackers to obtain sensitive data, including protected health information. GE addressed the problems with their technology and recommended protective steps to avoid inappropriate access.