The expertise consists of a sensor positioned on the affected person’s head that registers the nanometric expansions of the cranium in every cardiac cycle and generates, in actual time, a wave that signifies the variations in quantity and intracranial strain. Credit score: brain4care
A expertise developed by the Brazilian firm brain4care has been proven to have the ability to measure absolute values of intracranial strain (ICP) extra precisely than current non-invasive strategies. That is the results of a research printed within the journal npj Digital Drugs by researchers from the College of São Paulo in Brazil, the College of Cambridge in the UK, Emory College in america, and the corporate itself.
“The study included the largest number of patients and showed that the technology we developed had the lowest error in estimating the value of intracranial pressure among all the non-invasive methods already available in the world,” Gustavo Frigieri, scientific director of brain4care and one of many authors of the research, informed Agência FAPESP.
The expertise developed by the Brazilian firm consists of a sensor positioned on the affected person’s head that registers the nanometric expansions of the cranium in every cardiac cycle and generates, in actual time, a wave that signifies the variations in quantity and intracranial strain. The info obtained are processed by a man-made intelligence platform that generates experiences to assist docs make selections.
Based on Frigieri, the distinction within the answer developed by brain4care is the way in which it analyzes ICP, which has three fundamental elements: the numerical worth, the development (up or down), and the morphology of the heartbeat. As a substitute of specializing in the numerical worth, as conventional strategies do, it evaluates the morphology of the heartbeat – that’s, the way in which it behaves over time. This method makes it potential to establish adjustments earlier than they manifest themselves within the numerical values of the strain.
“This understanding has been consolidated worldwide,” says Frigieri. “Invasive ICP is reactive, and brain4care is proactive because it allows us to act in advance. Still, physicians are used to the number, which comes in late, meaning that they only act when there are changes in the patient. Our technology already provides the morphology and trend of the ICP and is moving towards showing the absolute number.”
In creating the system, the corporate’s researchers additionally translated the ICP pulse into numbers. “We show the physician the patient’s situation so he can decide how to proceed. In the articles we’ve published, we’ve shown that the pulse is very important and that it does the same thing as an invasive ICP measurement, but in a non-invasive way. It allows the physician to see if the patient is getting worse or better based on the trend.”
With the system, docs can detect neurological adjustments early and intervene extra shortly and precisely, which may imply the distinction between life and demise in vital instances. “The longer a neurocritical patient goes without proper care, the greater the risk of sequelae,” he factors out. “I provide the sensor and train the professional to make treatment decisions and achieve the best outcome.”
Confirmed effectiveness
The effectiveness of the brain4care technique has been confirmed in over 100 printed scientific articles. The brand new research recruited sufferers from Brazil, america and Europe. “We accelerated the process of collecting this information and today we have a very interesting database of patients with invasive and non-invasive ICP. Using a machine learning model, we were able to estimate the value of ICP in these patients,” he explains.
“We were able to achieve an error of 3 millimeters of mercury [the means by which ICP is usually measured] in more than a hundred patients. Many researchers are looking for non-invasive ways to measure ICP, but the techniques used have a very large error, which makes the system not ideal for clinical use.”
Having confirmed within the laboratory that it’s potential to make the estimate, Frigieri continues to work on acquiring sturdy proof. “I currently have 168 patients in the database and I’ve already reduced the error to 2.6 mm of mercury.”
The objective is to consolidate the mannequin later this 12 months to show within the area that, along with morphology and development, brain4care can present the quantity docs are on the lookout for. “We’ve already shown that it’s possible to derive ICP from morphology in a completely non-invasive way. The next step is to make this a reality for the market.”
For Frigieri, any neurosurgery affected person vulnerable to bleeding can profit from the tactic. It’s because when they’re in an intensive care unit (ICU), sedated and ventilated, it isn’t potential to see their signs and the physician usually acts virtually blindly: for instance, he performs a CT scan after the operation and repeats it after 24 hours. “In these cases, you can use brain4care every two hours and, if things get worse, add a CT scan to see what happened in more detail.”
This versatility is likely one of the benefits of the gadget. It may be utilized in environments aside from the ICU, corresponding to medical clinics, outpatient clinics and emergency departments. This vastly expands entry to ICP monitoring. Fast prognosis and therapy are vital in instances of head trauma, the place each minute counts to protect mind operate.
Based on him, brain4care is straightforward to make use of and would not require complicated coaching: “It can be adapted to the scenario. For example, if you just need to check whether the patient has intracranial hypertension, 5 to 10 minutes of use may be enough,” explains Frigieri. “A more unstable patient, on the other hand, can wear the device for an hour or two for longer monitoring.”
Transportable tools
Based on the researcher, with the invasive technique of ICP monitoring, it’s essential to take the affected person to the working room to position the gadget. Brain4care, however, will be taken wherever. “I always say that we’re not going to replace invasive ICP, but we will be able to determine who really needs it. We want to make sure that the majority of patients are treated before they become critical, but that those who need this type of intervention can receive it safely. At the same time, this will help to optimize the use of resources.”
At the moment, brain4care is current in additional than 85 establishments in Brazil, from prime hospitals in São Paulo to small charity hospitals in rural areas. This vast distribution demonstrates the system’s adaptability to completely different contexts and desires. On the identical time, the corporate is increasing internationally, with operations in america since 2018 and formal advertising since final October.
“We’ve gone the other way: we’re exporting medical technology around the world. We have a company in the United States that’s a subsidiary and distributor, but all the intelligence and production is Brazilian,” Frigieri says.
The expertise has already been accepted by the Nationwide Well being Surveillance Company (ANVISA), the regulatory physique for therapies, medical applied sciences and medicines in Brazil, and by the Meals and Drug Administration (FDA), its counterpart in america. As well as, it has already allowed 128 scientific research to be carried out (some accomplished and others nonetheless in progress).
As a result of it’s non-invasive, the tactic permits research that may not be potential with conventional methods, contributing to the development of data in numerous fields of medication. This characteristic has attracted researchers from completely different specialties, who use the information obtained by brain4care in different scientific investigations. “Previously, this information was not available for scientific use. The arrival of brain4care has opened up opportunities for the development of knowledge.”
Extra data:
Gustavo Frigieri et al, Machine studying method for noninvasive intracranial strain estimation utilizing pulsatile cranial growth waveforms, npj Digital Drugs (2025). DOI: 10.1038/s41746-025-01463-y
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Non-invasive sensor measures intracranial strain extra precisely, aiding early intervention (2025, March 13)
retrieved 13 March 2025
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