Diffusion Tensor Imaging Improves Prognostic Model for Mild TBI
By Elana Gotkine HealthDay Reporter
FRIDAY, Aug. 16, 2024 -- For patients with mild traumatic brain injury and normal computed tomography (CT), diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) improves existing prognostic models for functional outcome, according to a study published online Aug. 8 in eClinicalMedicine.
Sophie Richter, Ph.D., from the University of Cambridge in the United Kingdom, and colleagues examined whether existing prognostic models can be improved by serum biomarkers or DTI metrics from magnetic resonance imaging among 1,025 patients aged older than 18 years with a Glasgow Coma Score >12 and normal CT. The biomarkers glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), neurofilament protein-light (NFL), and S100 calcium-binding protein B were obtained at a median of 8.8 hours, and DTI was performed at 13 days after injury.
The researchers found that 38 percent of the patients had incomplete recovery. The addition of biomarkers did not improve performance beyond the best existing clinical prognostic model (optimism-corrected area under the curve [AUC], 0.69; R2, 17 percent). All models were significantly enhanced with the addition of DTI metrics (best optimism-corrected AUC, 0.82; R2, 75 percent). Left posterior thalamic radiation, the left superior cerebellar peduncle, and right uncinate fasciculus were the top three prognostic tracts. In one of five DTI scans, serum biomarkers could have been avoided, with best performance for GFAP <12 hours and NFL at 12 to 24 hours.
"The problem is that the nature of concussion means patients and their general practitioners often don't recognize that their symptoms are serious enough to need follow-up," coauthor Virginia F. J. Newcombe, M.D., Ph.D., also from the University of Cambridge, said in a statement.
Several authors disclosed ties to the biopharmaceutical industry.
Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.
© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.
Posted August 2024
Read this next
Rebound Weight Gain Common After Discontinuing Antiobesity Medications
FRIDAY, July 25, 2025 -- Antiobesity medications (AOMs) yield weight loss during use, followed by weight regain after discontinuation of treatment, according to a review published...
Patients Face High Out-of-Pocket Costs After Incident Cancer Diagnosis
FRIDAY, July 25, 2025 -- Patients face high out-of-pocket costs (OOPCs) after an incident diagnosis of cancer, with costs increasing with stage of diagnosis, according to a study...
Exposure to PFAS Mixtures Linked to Increased Odds of Type 2 Diabetes
FRIDAY, July 25, 2025 -- In multiethnic populations, exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) mixtures may be associated with increased odds of type 2 diabetes (T2D)...
More news resources
- FDA Medwatch Drug Alerts
- Daily MedNews
- News for Health Professionals
- New Drug Approvals
- New Drug Applications
- Drug Shortages
- Clinical Trial Results
- Generic Drug Approvals
Subscribe to our newsletter
Whatever your topic of interest, subscribe to our newsletters to get the best of Drugs.com in your inbox.