A helmet that uses microwaves to quickly determine whether a person has had a stroke has been developed by Swedish scientists. They said the device could speed stroke diagnosis and treatment, improving patients' chances of recovery.
The helmet bounces microwaves off the brain in order to detect bleeding or a clot. After early studies with 45 patients proved successful, the researchers gave the helmet to ambulance crews to test, BBC News reported.
"The possibility to rule out bleeding already in the ambulance is a major achievement that will be of great benefit in acute stroke care," researcher Professor Mikael Persson said.
"While this research is at an early stage, it suggests that microwave-based systems may become a portable, affordable, technology that could help rapidly identify the type of stroke a patient has had, and get them treated faster," Dr Shamim Quadir, of the U.K.'s Stroke Association, told BBC News.
"By diagnosing and treating stroke as early as possible, we can minimize the devastating impact of stroke, secure better outcomes for patients and, ultimately, save lives. Time lost is brain lost," Quadir said.
The research was reported in the journal Transactions on Biomedical Engineering.