Nuclear radiologists are beginning to use susceptibility weighted imaging (SWI) brain MRI protocol to detect damage that has been done to the brain. The SWI testing was first used by radiologists to determine hemorrhages in the brain that are caused during strokes, which could be missed using a conventional MRI.
The new testing that is being used will allow the radiologist to be able to identify even small lesions in the brain. This is brain damage that can be done by micro-hemorrhages, sheering or tearing of axons and defused axonal injuries.
Brain injury testing by many radiologists and physicians are using the susceptibility weighted imaging for their patients with mild traumatic injuries, along with diffusion tensor imaging to have the best results in viewing the extent of diffuse axonal brain damage and lesions.