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New Blood Test Helps Doctors Decide to Give CT Scans
A new test can determine whether a patient with a concussion needs a CT scan. Doctors in Florida are using a special skull cap called Optune and electric currents to treat patients with an aggressive form of brain cancer. Photo: Flickr Creative Commons
A doctor at Orlando Health is part of a team that developed a blood test helping doctors treat concussions. The blood test would detect brain damage, helping doctors decide whether to order a CT scan.
Dr. Linda Papa says the test is nearly 100 percent accurate in telling doctors whether brain damage would require that CT scan.
The applications of the blood test are wide ranging from playing fields to military hospitals.
Traumatic brain injuries are being attributed for 30 percent of injury deaths in the United States.
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WMFE is a partner with Health News Florida, a statewide collaborative reporting on health care.
Health reporting on WMFE is supported in part by AdventHealth.
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