The Infrascanner, a handheld device for screening in situ for the presence of brain haematomas

Abstract

Purpose: Early identification and treatment of intracranial haematomas in patients sustaining traumatic brain injury is fundamental to successful treatment. This pilot study evaluates the Infrascanner as a handheld medical screening tool for detection, in situ, of brain haematomas in patients with head injury.

Methods: This study included 35 TBI patients aged 17–76 (M = 47.6), admitted to the neurosurgical intensive care unit and observation unit of a University Hospital in a Level 1 trauma centre. The Infrascanner™ NIRS device uses near infrared light measurements to calculate optical density in brain regions.

Results: Results show Infrascanner sensitivity at 89.5% and specificity at 81.2%. PPV was 85% and NPV 86.7%. The device detected 90% of extra-axial, 88.9% of intra-axial and 93.3% of non-surgical haematomas (less than 25 mL). PPV for this classification was 82.3%; 87.5% sensitivity was found when the Infrascanner exam was performed within 12 hours post-trauma, whereas after 12 hours post-trauma, exams had 90.1% sensitivity.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates that the Infrascanner is useful in initial examinations and screenings of patients with head injury as an adjunct to a CT scan or when it is not available and may allow earlier treatment and reduce secondary injury caused by present and delayed haematomas.

• Critical care
• emergency
• neurotraumatology
• traumatic brain injury
• near-infrared spectroscopy
• head injury