Minnesota workers may want to learn more about medical innovations that enable physicians to detect if the brain is bleeding following a traumatic brain injury. A recent study found that military personnel receiving imaging shortly after sustaining a TBI may be getting better treatment in a shorter amount of time. According to researchers, the microbleeding that causes stroke, brain swelling and other serious conditions can be detected early by physicians with the help of an MRI.
According to the chief of neuroimaging at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, traumatic brain injuries are a serious issue for military personnel and their families. However, many suffer a TBI but do not receive the appropriate imaging until several months later. Such a significant delay can make it more difficult to detect any cerebral microhemorrhages, which holds up treatments as well.
The study involved using specialized MRI scanning to examine more than 600 service members who were diagnosed with TBI. The specialized equipment produced imaging much more sensitive to blood than the traditional MRI. The median amount of time to pass between service members’ suffering their injury and actually receiving an MRI was over 850 days. The MRI detected brain bleeding in 24 percent of the respondents who received an MRI within three months, but only in 7 percent of those who had to wait up to one year.
Employees who suffer a brain injury as a result of a workplace accident or medical error may want to discuss their situation with an attorney. In addition to determining their eligibility to receive workers’ compensation benefits, the attorney can discuss the advisability of also pursuing damages through a separate lawsuit if the accident was caused by the negligence of a non-employer third party.