The Fusion study is a pioneering collaborative project that improves the understanding of brain activity in newborn infants. This essential research is already having a big impact on neonatal care. This groundbreaking survey is the first such research of its kind anywhere in the world. It is focusing on building a system for cot-side monitoring of brain function to improve comfort for babies, allowing for more regular scanning.
Led by Professor Topun Austin, a consultant neonatologist and director at Cambridge University Hospital’s Evelyn Perinatal Imaging Centre, the study employs a small black cap resembling a swimming cap or a rugby player’s headgear. This smart cap is equipped with ultra-sensitive sensors designed to read brainwaves. It provides point-of-care results, which significantly speeds up diagnosis and treatment for infants who face the threat of brain damage.
“The light sensors monitor changes in oxygen around the surface of the brain—a technique known as high-density diffuse optical tomography—and the functional ultrasound allows us to image the small blood vessels deep in the brain,” she explained.
This new technology presents an unprecedented opportunity. It holds possible promise to address the shortcomings of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Conventional MRI scans are expensive and not generally accessible. Further, moving newborns to large, loud, wheeled scanners can add trauma and time for the individuals involved. According to Dr. Alexis Joannides, co-director of the NIHR HealthTech Research Centre in Brain Injury, “You have to take the baby to a noisy scanner, wait maybe 20 minutes for the scan and then take the baby back again.”
The Fusion study has focused on the past 12 months validating its concept through successful tests with both healthy and premature infants. The next stage will target babies identified as most at risk for brain damage. Professor Austin added that by mapping these patterns of brain activity, we’re able to better recognize those most at risk for injury. Understanding this makes it possible to intervene early.
Frequent examinations incorporating this cutting-edge technology would make it possible to detect problems before they have a chance to progress. This early detection would allow for earlier interventions and therapies, significantly improving quality of life for these infants. Stani Georgieva, a parent involved in the study, highlighted the importance of this advancement: “It means, realistically, you can’t perform a series of scans, but in those first weeks, the brain can change daily so having a way of doing repeated tests is incredibly powerful.”
The developers are looking ahead to today’s technology in new applications. Dr. Joannides said that he hoped within three to five years they would have a standalone product that could be made available for broader evaluation. “Cost permitting, it could not only monitor babies with a known problem but serve as a screening tool to help identify others who may be at risk,” he said.
If successful, this technology has potential to completely change how we can both diagnose and potentially treat brain injuries in newborns. UK hospitals could adopt it in less than a decade’s time. For millions of families seeking desperately to unlock a future for their loved one with a condition such as cerebral palsy, these developments offer tremendous hope. Amanda Richardson emphasized the need for early diagnosis: “For many children with cerebral palsy, the road to diagnosis is a long one, and families can spend years knowing their child is ‘at risk’ of developmental issues but not fully understanding what that will mean.”
