Basics of the Device
- Developer: Collaboration between ICMR, MDMS, AIIMS Bhopal, NIMHANS Bengaluru, and Bioscan Research.
- Nature: Hand-held, portable, non-invasive tool.
- Purpose: Early detection of Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI) → intracranial bleeding + edema.
- Technology: Uses near-infrared spectroscopy + machine learning.
- Output: Radiation-free, colour-coded results within 1 minute.
- Safety: Suitable for infants, pregnant women, unskilled/paramedic use.
Relevance : GS II (Health – Healthcare Access, Affordable Technology) + GS III (Science & Tech – AI, Medical Innovation, Atmanirbhar Bharat/Make in India)
Importance of CEREBO
- Accessibility: Designed for areas lacking CT/MRI (ambulances, rural clinics, trauma centres, disaster response units).
- Affordability: Cost-effective, avoids expensive imaging.
- Speed: Reduces time-to-diagnosis → critical in the “golden hour” for brain injuries.
- Triage support: Helps decide which patients need urgent CT/MRI.
- Global adoption: Potential use in military, disaster, and emergency healthcare systems.
Clinical & Regulatory Validation
- Trials: Multi-centre clinical performance evaluation at leading trauma/neuro centres.
- Evidence: Confirmed diagnostic accuracy, decision-making speed, integration feasibility.
- Post-market surveillance: Positive feedback on adoption by frontline staff.
- Health Technology Assessment: Recommends use in tertiary care for:
- Faster CT scan access.
- Optimised triage.
- Reduced imaging costs.
Understanding Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI)
- Definition: Brain dysfunction caused by sudden external trauma → mild (concussion) to severe.
- Common causes:
- Road traffic injuries: ~60%.
- Falls: 20–25%.
- Violence: ~10%.
- Epidemiology (India):
- 1.5–2 million injured annually.
- ~1 million deaths per year.
- Major cause of morbidity, mortality, disability, and socio-economic burden.
- Traditional diagnosis:
- Glasgow Coma Scale (subjective, error-prone).
- Imaging (costly, needs infrastructure, not always accessible).
- Complications: Permanent brain damage, cognitive impairments, emotional instability, higher neurodegenerative risk.
Why CEREBO is a Game-Changer
- Bridges diagnostic gaps in rural & underserved areas.
- Decentralises brain injury care → frontline workers can screen before reaching tertiary centres.
- Reduces mortality by enabling early detection and timely intervention.
- Supports universal health coverage goals (affordable, accessible, scalable tech).
- Global relevance: Could be adopted by WHO emergency health kits, disaster relief operations, and military medical units.
Challenges / Limitations
- Needs large-scale deployment funding.
- Requires training modules for paramedics & unskilled users.
- Potential risk of false positives/negatives in borderline cases.
- Must integrate seamlessly into existing trauma-care pathways.
Way Forward
- Scale-up production with Make in India & MedTech Mission.
- Integrate with National Health Mission (NHM) & Ayushman Bharat emergency care.
- Promote PPP collaborations for faster adoption.
- Continuous post-market surveillance to refine accuracy.
- Explore export potential as a low-cost diagnostic tool for LMICs (low- and middle-income countries).
