Cerebral Scanning Technology Detects Brain Pathologies

A portable, non-invasive device detects asymmetry of intracranial fluid volumes in patients undergoing neurological assessment.

The Cerebrotech (Pleasanton, CA, USA) Visor is a novel bioimpedance spectroscopy device that detects changes and distribution of cerebral fluids using volumetric impedance phase-shift spectroscopy (VIPS). The device consists of a headband with multiple integrated antennas that broadcast and receive each other’s signals; the frequency response of the phase angle between a transmitter and receiver antenna represents changes in the electrical properties of tissue as a direct result of small changes in intracranial fluids.

A computer algorithm analyzes the changes in tissue electrical properties, providing a visual readout on a monitor of the detected changes. The ratio of bioimpedance measurements between the brain's right and left hemispheres, and especially changes in that ratio, can help detect any fluid asymmetry during neurologic assessment. Proprietary machine learning algorithms are then used to differentiate between the bioimpedance profiles of various brain pathologies, such as stroke, trauma, swelling, and others. The system has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“We understand the challenges facing medical professionals who need to quickly assess patients with neurologic symptoms. The Cerebrotech Visor is designed to be portable, fast, and accurate,” said Mitch Levinson, CEO of Cerebrotech Medical Systems. “Utilizing the vast amount of data captured by our proprietary Cerebrotech Visor, our mission is to develop unique algorithms that can help physicians to better detect and diagnose a wide range of neurological conditions, improving outcomes for patients while reducing overall healthcare costs.”

“A simple, easy-to-use device that can provide accurate information about cerebral fluids in 30 seconds is an important development,” said neurologist Professor Andrei Alexandrov, MD, of the University of Tennessee Center for Health Science (Memphis, USA). “During neurologic assessment, presence and magnitude of fluid asymmetry is a critical piece of information that will help us understand and evaluate our patients. I see tremendous potential for this technology for a large cross-section of patients with neurologic symptoms and various conditions."

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