SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS RADIO) – A simple blood test could make a world of difference for people who have traumatic brain injuries, a new UCSF study shows.
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Whether it's because of a car accident or a football game, plenty of us have been hit in the head.
"It's a very very common problem," Dr. Geoff Manley, Professor and Vice Chairman of Neurological Surgery at UCSF, told KCBS Radio's "As Prescribed."
"Almost no-one has gone through life without either having had a brain injury or a concussion or has known someone that has had that. We have about 4.8 million people a year that are seeking help for this."
Manley is the co-author of a new study out of UCSF that found a simple blood test, taken within 24 hours of a head injury, can give insight into the patient’s trauma.
Researchers discovered that the levels of certain proteins were higher in people whose brain injuries could result in death or disability. "What this says is that not only can we now identify people with traumatic brain injury, but we can also tell how they're going to do in the future," Manley said.
The test gives doctors vital insight into the status of the patient while also preventing the need for CT scanning, which carries the risk of radiation.
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