A Serum Biomarker for Evaluating Mild Traumatic Brain Injury in Children

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI; Glasgow Coma Scale score of 13–15) often leads to cranial computed tomography (CT) to rule out an intracerebral lesion. Concerns about ionizing radiation exposure and the risk for subsequent cancer have resulted in efforts to reduce the use of CT scans in the evaluation of mTBI. Clinical algorithms have been developed to categorize risk, and their use has reduced CT imaging, but further reductions are needed (NEJM JW Emerg Med Oct 2009 and Lancet 2009; 374:1160).

In a systematic review and meta-analysis, researchers evaluated use of serum levels of S100B — a calcium-binding protein released by damaged glial cells — to detect intracranial lesions in children with mTBI. The authors identified eight studies th…