CEREBO

Why in the News? 

CEREBO is a newly developed portable, non-invasive, hand-held device for diagnosing brain injuries, created through a collaborative effort between:

• ICMR
• Medical Device & Diagnostics Mission Secretariat (MDMS)
• AIIMS Bhopal
• NIMHANS Bengaluru
• Bioscan Research

• It has been clinically validated, received regulatory approvals, and recommended for wider adoption in India and globally.

About CEREBO:

• Technology: Uses near-infrared spectroscopy + machine learning.
• Function: Detects intracranial bleeding & edema within 1 minute.
• Users: Safe for infants, pregnant women, and can be operated by paramedics/unskilled staff.
• Output: Provides colour-coded, radiation-free, cost-effective results.
• Deployment Areas:

• Ambulances
• Trauma centres
• Rural clinics
• Disaster response units
• Military & emergency healthcare

Importance of the Device:

• Addresses limitations of CT & MRI scans (high cost, radiation, need for infrastructure, trained staff).
• Offers rapid triage → helps doctors decide if advanced imaging is urgently needed.
• Can improve outcomes by enabling early detection of TBIs in remote or resource-poor settings.
• Reduces diagnostic errors common in Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS)-based assessments.
• Health Technology Assessments suggest:

• Speeds up CT scans in tertiary care.
• Optimises triage.
• Cuts imaging costs.

About Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI):

• Definition: Sudden trauma/injury to the head disrupting normal brain function.
• Severity:

• Mild (concussion) → observation needed.
• Severe → can cause long-term disability or death.

• Causes in India (Epidemiology data):

• Road traffic accidents → ~60%
• Falls → 20–25%
• Violence/assaults → ~10%

• Public Health Burden in India:

• ~1.5–2 million TBIs annually.
• ~1 million deaths per year.
• Major cause of morbidity, disability, and socio-economic losses.

• Complications: Intracranial bleeding, brain swelling, long-term physical, cognitive, and emotional impairments.