New blood test can detect brain injury in 15 minutes

The UAE's Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) has unveiled a 15-minute rapid blood test that can evaluate mild Traumatic Brain Injury (mTBI).

With 95.8 per cent sensitivity, it will enable faster treatment for the injured persons and is the world’s first US Food And Drug Administration (USFDA)-approved blood test.

The announcement at the Arab Health 2021 highlighted the partnership between the UAE health authority and Abbot labs.

Designed to run on a handheld i-STAT Alinity platform, the test requires a small blood sample drawn from the arm to measure specific proteins present in the blood after an mTBI.

A negative result on this test can be used to rule out the need for a head CT scan, while a positive result complements CT scans to help clinicians evaluate whether someone has an mTBI.

Dr. Youssef Mohamed Al Serkal, Director-General of the Emirates Health Services (EHS), said this is one of the most important diagnostic tests that help in detecting mild brain injuries, which usually occur after falling down or experiencing car accidents.

He explained that this new technology will help clinicians assess and detect brain injuries and concussions as fast as possible with accurate results.