New technology and potential for telemedicine in battlefield brain injury diagnostics

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a considerable problem for the military worldwide, and the media have designated it the ‘signature injury’ of the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq [1]. It can occur following head trauma after a direct impact or from being in close proximity to a blast. TBI can have different forms depending on the extent of the injury; this editorial will focus on TBIs that result in brain haemorrhage. On the battlefield, it is likely to be overlooked in favor of more readily visible injuries, yet bleeding and inflammation within the head can cause death or pervasive ongoing psychiatric conditions.