Hand-Held Scanner Can Detect Brain Injuries
A new hand-held, battery-operated sensor that can help detect the most serious of brain bleeds could soon make its way to Marines in Afghanistan.
The device looks a lot like a Nintendo Wii controller and can be used in a mass-casualty situation to prioritize needs for emergency medical attention. The device can detect invisible wounds from explosive blasts, but it can also be used in the event of a mishap or even an athletic injury.
What you need to know:
• The device: The InfraScanner, designed by Philadelphia-based InfraScan Inc., helps identify specific types of brain bleeds that could result in death or serious brain damage. It’s portable enough that Navy corpsmen can keep the scanner in their pack. The device is water resistant and performs well in a wide range of temperatures.
• How it works: The scanner uses infrared light to measure the brain. Eight spots are measured — four on the right and four on the left. Any asymmetry between the sides can indicate a brain bleed.
The scanner’s fiber optics can get a reading through hair so heads don’t need to be shaved.
An area with a bleed in the brain would hold about 10 times more hemoglobin than the uninjured portion. The scanner can pick up on that concentration and identify the location of the bleed.
The measurements and results can all be recorded in about two minutes.