Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) diagnosis involves a series of tests and measures that healthcare providers use to assess the extent of injury or damage to the brain. Some of the tests used to diagnose TBI include:
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Imaging tests: Imaging tests such as CT scans and MRI scans can help healthcare providers rule out some of the more serious brain injuries. These scans can detect bleeding that resulted from the traumatic injury which requires immediate medical or surgical attention.
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Neuro-checks: A series of quick questions and tasks that help healthcare providers assess how well a TBI patients brain and body are working.
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Glasgow Coma Scale: A scoring system that healthcare providers use to assess the level of consciousness in a person with a TBI.
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Neuropsychological tests: These tests help reveal levels of injury or damage in TBI patients.
It is important to seek immediate medical attention if you experience any physical, cognitive/behavioral, or sensory symptoms of TBI, especially within the first 24 hours after a TBI. While some symptoms of mild TBI can be hard to detect, timely diagnosis is important to prevent repetitive injury and to help improve outcomes for people with TBI.
