The evaluation
A neurological evaluation at Axon begins with the examination, not the equipment. The physician takes a complete injury history, reviews prior records and imaging, and performs a hands-on neurological examination covering cognitive screening, cranial nerves, balance, coordination, and vestibular and oculomotor function.
Where the examination raises specific questions, objective testing substantiates the clinical findings. Depending on what the individual patient's presentation calls for, that may include blood-based biomarker testing for proteins released by injured brain cells [, , , ], standardized vestibular and ocular-motor screening [], FDA-cleared eye-movement measurement to support identification of visual tracking impairment [], and neurocognitive assessment. No test is ordered as a routine battery. Each is ordered when, and only when, the physician's examination gives it a clinical purpose.
Management
Concussion management follows the patient's actual deficits: graded return to activity, targeted vestibular or vision therapy, headache management, sleep and mood support through our integrated mental health team, and scheduled re-examination to measure progress. Plans change when the measurements change.
Why objectivity matters here
Mild TBI is underdiagnosed in routine settings, and standard CT is often normal even when injury is present. In the multicenter TRACK-TBI study, 27 percent of TBI patients with a normal CT had visible injury on MRI, and blood GFAP levels helped identify them []. The published research behind every tool we use, including its limits, is documented in our research library. Link →