http://http//goo.gl/jhPAa5
Hybrid imaging with positron emission tomography and computed tomography (PET/CT) in the pituitary region of the brain is a promising tool for differentiating military veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from those with mild traumatic brain injury (MTBI), according to a new study presented at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
The findings also lend support to the theory that many veterans diagnosed with PTSD may actually have hormonal irregularities due to pituitary gland damage from blast injury.
MTBI involves damage to the brain from an external force, while PTSD is generally defined as a mental healthcondition that can develop after someone has experienced a traumatic event. Research has shown that up to 44 percent of returning veterans with MTBI and loss of consciousness also meet the criteria for PTSD. Differentiating PTSD from MTBI can be challenging for clinicians due to symptom overlap and, in many cases, normal structural neuroimaging results.