Scanning the Invisible Damage of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

An area of public policy in which the current health care debates and wars in Iraq and Afghanistan converge is the issue of adequate medical treatment for wounded soldiers, particularly those suffering from concussion-type injuries and post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). A new noninvasive technique has been applied, called “diffusion tensor imaging” which is used in conjunction with a typical MRI scan. Diffusion tensor imaging helps physicians track how water flows through tiny nerve fibers in the brain to determine if those fibers are damaged or healthy.

By using this new technology, physicians can better detect which parts of the brain are functioning poorly, potentially shedding more light on the emotional effects and diagnosis of post traumatic stress disorder among wounded and returning soldiers. Because of the policy and political implications of the use of such a technology, it is likely (and we are hopeful) that diffusion tensor imaging will soon be better funded, more heavily researched, and ultimately developed for widespread use in treating traumatic brain injuries among members of the U.S. Armed Forces and civilians alike.