Diagnosing Early Signs of CTE May Now Be Possible through an MRI Scan

Defined by medical experts as a progressive neurological disease that may be caused by repeated brain trauma, chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, has been afflicting a number of former football players and changing their lives forever. Today, the only way of correctly diagnosing CTE is through a post mortem examination of a patient’s brain.

A recent research published in the American Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry, however, suggests that an MRI scan may be viable in detecting CTE in its early stages.

What the MRI Scan Showed

Researchers from the University of California, Los Angeles studied the brain of a 51-year-old former high school football player who was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder during his mid-40s due to a steady decline of his mood, attention span, and cognition. The study further noted that the patient, with the pseudonym “Bob Smith”, had an MRI done back in 2012.


They made use of a newly FDA-approved tool called Neuroreader that allowed them to measure the volume of 45 different regions of his brain. The scan showed that, other than the usual scarring associated with concussions, there was much less gray matter in his brainstem, ventral diencephalon, and frontal lobes. Such patterns, according to the researchers, were similar to cases of CTE. Comparing it with the 2012 scan, the researchers found a progression of volume loss over time.

A Tool for Diagnosis

Though medical experts have long been tying contact sports to an increased risk of developing CTE, a definite way to diagnose this condition is yet to be discovered. As suggested by this study, the use of an MRI-based method has the potential for a safer and less expensive way of diagnosing CTE in its early stages.



Sources:

MRI scan may help diagnose chronic traumatic encephalopathy, UCLA researchers report, UCLA Newsroom

What Are The Early Signs Of CTE? With MRI, Doctors May Be Able To Diagnose Brain Damage Before Death, Medical Daily