As more research into the long-term effects of repeated head impacts as a result of playing football continues to be released, much of the focus is on studying the causes and mechanisms of the degenerative brain disease chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE).
Now, researchers from the University of California, Irvine are teaming up with Toshiba America Medical Systems to conduct a study investigating the presence of cerebral microbleeds in football players at the high-school level as a potential precursor for CTE.
The study will be carried out using Toshiba’s Vantage Titan 3T MR system to scan the brains of 150 volunteers—100 football players, 50 control subjects—from a local high school to assess the performance of non-contrast MRI as a safer way to examine youth athletes for early signs of CTE.
“This study presents an opportunity to determine how Toshiba’s MRI equipment can be used by healthcare providers to safely and effectively diagnose serious brain trauma or CTE earlier than ever before, which could ultimately impact a patient’s quality of life in the future,” said Eugene Mensah, PhD, director of clinical collaborations for Toshiba. “We are proud to have the researchers using Toshiba’s Vantage Titan 3T MR system to establish these potential markers of CTE, which speaks to Toshiba’s commitment to partnering with healthcare providers to identify the right imaging solutions to complex clinical situations.”
Read the full announcement here.
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