Visualization of TBI Multimodal Brain Imaging Data

The increased incidence of traumatic brain injury (TBI) and its potentially serious long-term consequences have enormous clinical, societal and economic impacts in Canada. Yet despite its relatively high prevalence, TBI is one of the least understood neurological injuries. Emerging evidence shows that the effects of TBI are not transient and may be associated with significant long-term consequences on brain function. An impact to the head results in an immediate and direct insult to the brain, setting off a complex cascade of metabolic and neurochemical events. These effects can lead to long-term changes in brain physiology and ultimately impact cognitive, motor and affective function. Over a lifetime, repeated brain trauma is associated with increased incidence of multiple neuropsychiatric conditions and is a significant risk factor for developing neurodegenerative disorders.
Diagnosing TBI is currently based on clinical symptoms and neuroimaging changes as seen with a single modality such as CT or MRI to establish the presence of TBI. The main challenge is the reliance on a single brain imaging technology that provides a limited and constrained view of the complex brain injury. TO BE CONT’D

Faculty Supervisor:

Mirza Beg

Student:

Donghuan Lu

Partner:

Arrowsmith Program Inc

Discipline:

Engineering

Sector:

Medical devices

University:

Simon Fraser University