Abbott: Rapid handheld traumatic brain injury blood test
Abbott‘s (NYSE:ABT) i-STAT Alinity TBI plasma assay — a rapid handheld traumatic brain injury (TBI) blood test — gained FDA clearance in January.
The test is designed to help clinicians assess individuals with suspected mild TBIs, including concussions. The test runs on Abbott’s handheld i-STAT Alinity platform, with results provided within 15 minutes after the plasma is placed in the test cartridge. A negative test can be used to rule out the need for a head CT scan, while a positive test complements CT scans to help a clinician’s evaluation, the company said.
Abbott’s test requires a small blood sample drawn from the arm, from which plasma is extracted with a centrifuge, then applied to the test’s cartridge before the cartridge is inserted into the i-STAT Alinity instrument.
