The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), in collaboration with AIIMS Bhopal, NIMHANS Bengaluru, MDMS Secretariat, and Bioscan Research, has developed CEREBO, a portable diagnostic tool for Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI).

About Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI)

• Cause: TBI is caused by sudden trauma or injury to the head, disrupting normal brain function.
• Severity: It ranges from mild concussions to severe, life-threatening injuries.
• Major causes in India:
• • Road Traffic Accidents – 60%.
  • Falls – 20–25%.
  • Violence – ~10%.
• Consequences:  Bleeding, swelling, cognitive impairments, behavioural changes, physical disabilities, and long-term neurodegenerative risks.

About CEREBO

• Nature: Handheld, portable, and non-invasive diagnostic device for traumatic brain injuries (TBIs).
• Technology: Built on near-infrared spectroscopy combined with machine learning.
• Speed: Detects intracranial bleeding and edema in under one minute.
• Output: Provides colour-coded, radiation-free, and cost-effective diagnostic results.
• Safety: Suitable for infants and pregnant women.
• Ease of Use: Can be operated by paramedics or unskilled personnel with just 30 minutes of training.
• Applications: Designed for ambulances, trauma centres, rural clinics, and disaster response units.

Significance of CEREBO

• Early Detection: Helps in timely diagnosis where CT (Computed Tomography) and MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging) facilities are unavailable or delayed.
• Accessibility: Can be widely used in rural and underserved areas lacking advanced infrastructure.
• Efficiency: Reduces time-to-decision in emergencies, optimises triage, and lowers imaging costs.
• Global relevance: Potential adoption in military healthcare and disaster response systems.
• Primary-Care Utility: Facilitates rapid, reliable triage at primary-care centres and ambulances, improving survival rates.
• Resource-Limited Settings: Effective during accidents, falls, and violence-related injuries, which are common in rural regions.

Need for the CEREBO Device

• High Burden of TBI in India:
  • Over 100,000 deaths annually due to head injuries.
  • More than 1 million people suffer serious brain injuries each year.
• Limitations of existing methods:
  • Glasgow Coma Scale – prone to error and subjectivity.
  • CT/MRI – require costly infrastructure, trained specialists, and are often inaccessible in rural areas.
• Criticality of early detection:
  • Half of TBI deaths occur within the first two hours of injury.
  • Secondary brain injury (post-impact swelling/bleeding) worsens outcomes.
  • Early diagnosis improves mortality and disability outcomes.

DOWNLOAD PDF