New Technology Enables Early Detection Of Newborn Brain Trauma
For any Florida parent, it is probably the worst news you can receive: Your newborn is showing signs of traumatic brain injury (TBI), which may have occurred at some point during gestation, during labor, or shortly after delivery. This type of harm can lead to serious, often permanent brain damage and other disorders, including cerebral palsy, Hypoxic Ischemic Encephalopathy (HIE), and cognitive medical conditions. Under the circumstances, your infant needs prompt, possibly extensive treatment, but current limitations in the medical field make it challenging to obtain a specific diagnosis.
Fortunately, advancements in medical technology continue to develop at a rapid pace. A recent innovation could offer new hope for parents and tiny patients who need essential medical care for TBI right away. It may also help determine how the head injuries occurred, possibly opening the door to legal action through a Miami birth injuries lawsuit. An overview of the technology sheds some light on how it works and improves.
How the Technology Detects Brain Trauma
Magnetic Resonance (MR) Spectroscopy involves a noninvasive brain scan that focuses on the thalamus, which is important for two key reasons:
- The thalamus relays information from different parts of the body to the brain’s cerebral cortex. It regulates everything from the baby’s movement and motor skills to sleep, perception, and alertness, so damage in this area can be catastrophic.
- The thalamus is also the section of the brain that is most affected by oxygen deprivation, a common complication from birth injuries.
The MR spectroscopy scan enables physicians to pinpoint a specific compound that is present in a healthy brain. When levels of that substance fall below 8 on a scale of 1 to 10, the diagnosis is brain damage.
Current State of Medical Technology on Newborn Brain Trauma
The MR spectroscopy is a 15-minute scan that can be performed when the infant is just two weeks old. Therefore, it could enable detection of TBI in infants up to two years earlier than traditional diagnostics. Unfortunately, the technology is not widely available.
Instead, most Florida health care providers rely on MRIs, CT scans, ultrasounds, and other tests to diagnose brain damage in patients. These screenings can reveal brain damage because the affected area appears lighter in color. However, limitations include:
- Some screenings are not safe for infants, meaning parents must go through an agonizing wait to get accurate results.
- These methods are 60 to 85 percent effective in detecting infant TBI, a rather large margin of error.
Our South Florida Birth Injuries Attorneys Can Explain Your Rights
MR spectroscopy cannot reverse the harm to your baby, but it can assist physicians, parents, and social workers in developing a life care plan based upon the severity of TBI. The technology may also support your rights if you were seeking legal remedies through a medical malpractice claim for birth injuries. For more information on your options, please contact Freidin Brown, P.A. in Miami or Fort Myers to set up a free consultation.
Resource:
medicalxpress.com/news/2018-11-minute-scan-brain-newborns.html
