New research published in Science Advances details the development of a novel diagnostic device designed to detect traumatic brain injury (TBI) via a laser-based spectroscopy technology focused on evaluating neuroretinal and optic nerve head tissue.
Let’s start with some background.
Affecting 135 million individuals across the globe, TBI injuries often may not appear with clinical symptoms at the early stages—which is crucial for determining outcomes—of the disease, leading to a potential misdiagnosis or delay in treatment.
These not-so-obvious signs can quickly turn into long-term, persistent, and neurodegenerative deficits, according to researchers.
Thus, the need for an early-stage detection technology to better guarantee proper treatment and positive outcomes has become apparent.
Which brings us to…
The development of an unconventional laser-based spectroscopic technology to focus on analyzing the neuroretina and optic nerve, as a projection of brain tissue, according to investigators.
Tell me about it.
The hand-held and noninvasive device consists of a class 1, CE-marked, eye-safe laser based on “multiplex resonance Raman spectroscopy”—a highly specific analytical technique capable of providing real-time diagnostic info in clinical settings that targets specific TBI biomarkers as proxies for disease and injury.
These include:
- Structural changes in brain-specific lipids and biochemicals
- Specific neuromarkers found in the central nervous system
The researchers noted that these biomarkers have demostrated a strong association with injury severity in the early TBI phase.
What exactly does it measure?
Modified optics are combined with fundus imaging along with the laser to measure abnormal changes in the optic nerve and provide a quantitative assessment of trauma in its early stages.
And how does this compare to other scans?
Unlike X-rays and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), which can often take 1 to 2 weeks for results, the device is designed to be used for an initial real-time diagnosis of TBI.
Has it been tested yet?
Yes, actually. The investigators constructed a controlled testing environment with a “tissue phantom” for the eye that mimicked a real eye’s physical dimensions and optical characteristics as well as realistic anatomical rendering of the retina.
Animal tissue was used to test if the device could differentiate between both a TBI and a non-TBIcase. From there, an artificial intelligence (AI)-supported technology rapidly classified the TBI stage.
So what’s next?
The researchers plan to develop the device into a portable technology for a rapid determination and classification of TBIs in clinical studies with human patients.
Per the research team, this device could also potentially be used to provide an early-stage diagnosis for other degenerative neurological and ophthalmological diseases.