TBI is a leading cause of sustained impairment in military and civilian populations,(1) with an estimated 19 percent of returning service members and vets screening positive.(2) While the psychological impact of these injuries can be devastating, research teams at NICoE hope to use MEG technology to find answers that may provide better care for service members and veterans – possibly leading to the customization or development of new treatment techniques.
Elekta Neuromag works by measuring and recording magnetic fields created by electrical activity within the brain. Completely noninvasive, the device detects instantaneous changes in brain activity, allowing clinicians to track changes that happen in milliseconds. For example, the device is sensitive enough to detect the brain’s response to a sound, word, image or other stimulus. It also allows clinicians to observe subtle pathological changes that occurred after injury or the development of a disorder such as epilepsy.
“We look forward to welcoming NICoE into our expanding network of MEG users,” says Stephen Otto, Chairman of Elekta Neuromag. “The last two years have seen a considerable increase in the number of MEG system orders and installations from Elekta. We attribute this directly to the growing list of experimental MEG examinations which are now beginning to enter the clinical mainstream, joining the established indications of epileptic focus localization and presurgical functional mapping. Better diagnoses and treatments of brain injury will not only result in improved care for those injured in conflicts overseas, but also the many suffering from motor vehicle accidents, sports related injuries and other trauma. We are extremely pleased that MEG is being seen to play a role in helping those afflicted.”
In addition to Elekta Neuromag, NICoE will feature advanced equipment and services for psychological health, as well as the treatment of TBI, including a 3T MRI Scanner, Computer Assisted Rehabilitation Environment (CAREN) system, 64-slice PET /CT scan, virtual reality room, firearm simulator, occupational therapy gym and more.
For additional information regarding NICoE, visit www.fallenheroesfund.org. For a list of centers utilizing Elekta Neuromag technology, visit www.elekta.com/meg.
1) Ming-Xiong Huang, Rebecca J. Theilmann, Ashley Robb, Annemarie Angeles, Sharon Nichols, Angela Drake, John D'Andrea, Michael Levy, Martin Holland, Tao Song, Sheng Ge, Eric Hwang, Kevin Yoo, Li Cui, Dewleen G. Baker, Doris Trauner, Raul Coimbra, Roland R. Lee. Journal of Neurotrauma. August 2009, 26(8): 1213-1226.
2) Tanielian T and Jaycox LH, eds. Invisible Wounds of War: Psychological and Cognitive Injuries, Their Consequences, and Services to Assist Recovery, Santa Monica, Calif.: RAND Corporation, MG-720-CCF, 2008, 492.
About Elekta
Elekta is a human care company pioneering significant innovations and clinical solutions for treating cancer and brain disorders. The company develops sophisticated state of the art tools and treatment planning systems for radiation therapy and radiosurgery, as well as workflow enhancing software systems across the spectrum of cancer care.
Stretching the boundaries of science and technology, providing intelligent and resource-efficient solutions that offer confidence to both healthcare providers and patients, Elekta aims to improve, prolong and even save patient lives, making the future possible today.
Today, Elekta solutions in oncology and neurosurgery are used in over 5,000 hospitals globally, and every day more than 100,000 patients receive diagnosis, treatment or follow-up with the help of a solution from the Elekta Group.
Elekta employs around 2,500 employees globally. The corporate headquarter is located in Stockholm, Sweden, and the company is listed on the Nordic Exchange under the ticker EKTAb. For more information about Elekta, please visit www.elekta.com.
SOURCE Elekta
