Testing for Brain Injury
Brain injury is often called a “hidden illness” because its symptoms can quietly reside within our skull-protected heads. What makes diagnosing the severity of brain injury even more difficult is that different types of tests can uncover or ignore different components of the injury.
Some of the most common types of tests used in investigating brain injury are CT scans, MRIs, EEGs, and PET scans. CT and MRI tests evaluate the structure of the brain while EEG and PET test assess brain function. The type of test your physician orders will depend on your type of brain injury, the availability of the medical equipment and the time since you received your injury. New technology and testing techniques are being developed all the time, so it pays to do some research before your testing is scheduled.
CT and MRI testing devices take pictures of the brain in slices—the CT uses X-rays while the MRI uses magnetic fields to take their “pictures.” MRIs can pick up more detail of brain damage than a CT scan, however, the CT scan is better for identifying fresh blood in and around the brain. During the early stages of brain injury treatment, your doctor may order regular CT scans to make sure your injury isn’t expanding.
A more recent type of test called diffusion tensor imaging or DTI, partners MRI technology with special software that allows physicians to look at areas of the brain not visible by a standard MRI. The test measures the movement of water through the brain’s white matter to identify healthy and damaged tissue. The pattern of the water flow changes around injured brain fibers.
Electroencephalograms (EEGs) monitor the electrical activity of several sections of the brain and record that activity. Electrical activity that is unusually slow or rapid can indicate abnormal brain activity and seizures. It’s sometimes difficult to determine brain injury with EEGs because the tests may read normal between seizures.
Determining the extent of your brain injury is an important part of determining your rate of recovery and your potential for returning to work other daily activities. Talk to your doctor about the types of tests that are most appropriate for you and contact a brain injury attorney to assist you in handling your legal case.
This information is provided by the Georgia brain injury law team at Anastopoulo & Clore, LLC, 800-610-2546, www.traumaticinjurylawyers.com.
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