Infrascanner™ in the diagnosis of intracranial lesions in children with traumatic brain injuries

Abstract

Background: The number of traumatic injuries among children is increasing. However, so-called mild TBI might result in unfavourable outcomes. Early diagnosis of intracranial haematomas prior to development of serious complications may be a decisive factor for a favourable outcome. InfraScan company developed and brought to the market the Infrascanner® model 1000, which is a portable detector of blood collections that operates in the near infrared (NIR) band.

Objective: To estimate the efficiency of the Infrascanner® model 1000 for detection of intracranial haematomas among children with mild TBI.

Materials and methods: Ninety-five patients with mild TBI were examined. An indication for cerebral CT after mild TBI was the presence of risk factors of intracranial lesions. The Infrascanner was used by a neurosurgeon during primary examination. CT was performed in 43 patients (45%), while 52 patients (55%) with a low risk of intracranial lesions were under observation.

Results: The results of examination of patients using CT and infrared scanning coincided in 39 cases and intracranial haematomas were detected in eight patients. False-positive results were obtained in three cases. The sensitivity of the procedure used in this group of patients with a medium and high risk of development of intracranial haemorrhages was 1.00 (0.66; 1.00). The specificity was 0.91 (0.81; 1.00)—the proportions and a 95% CI. The false-positive risk is 0.27 (0.00; 0.58). During infrared scanning in patients with low risk of intracranial lesions, false-positive results were obtained in four cases and false-negative results were absent.

Conclusion: Infra-scanning might be viewed as a screening technique for intracranial haemorrhages in ambulances and outpatient trauma centres in order to decide on hospitalization, CT scanning and referral to a neurosurgeon. Infra-scanning combined with evaluation of risk factors of intracranial damage might reduce the number of unnecessary radiological examinations.

• Infrascanner
• intracranial haemorrhage
• mild head injury
• near-infrared spectroscopy
• paediatric TBI
• traumatic brain injury

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of the paper.