Our James R. Stone, MD, PhD, has received $2.3 million from the Department of Defense to determine if advanced magnetic resonance imaging can detect now-undectable brain injuries in troops exposed to repeated low-level blasts. This could help improve diagnoses for members of the military and could lead to new and better treatments.
Low-level blasts may produce no obvious injury, but repeated exposure has a cumulative effect: It creates distinct scarring in the brain that doctors can now, unfortunately, identify only by examining brain tissue under a microscope after a person's death. Stone will enlist the help of 60 members of the military to determine if an advanced new MRI recently installed at our Fontaine Research Park can detect the scarring while troops are still alive. The three-year study will be conducted in conjunction with partners from the Naval Medical Research Command.
If the study is successful, the approach would allow doctors to quickly identify service members suffering brain injury and help improve the treatment they receive. It could also help the military determine what levels of blast exposure are unsafe.
“With advanced MRI, we hope to move beyond the limitations of standard scans to detect the subtle brain changes caused by these exposures," Dr. Stone said. "Our ultimate goal is to speed up diagnosis and ensure service members get the care and protection they deserve.”