Doug King: Sports Injury Research Specialist on the new portable brain scanner to detect concussions

New Zealand will have first use of the world's first portable brain scanner that could change how concussion is diagnosed for rugby players – but will it work as said? 

The device —known as the Nurocheck headset— can allegedly detect head injuries in two minutes. 

Medtech Labs Group CEO Michael Lee says although the brain scanner will be rolled out next month, rugby clubs will have to wait a little longer. 

Sports injury research specialist Dr Doug King told Francesca Rudkin while the concept it legitimate, the research backing it is not.  

He says concussions are one of the most complex things you can try and detect, and while this could be realistic in the future, the science just isn’t there yet. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Could this be the end of concussions as we know it?
A new portable med tech device from the company Neurochech
claims it has the ability to diagnose concussions on the
sideline in just two minutes. Doctor Doug King is a
sports injury research specialist and he's with me now. Good morning, Doug,
Thanks for your time.

Speaker 2 (00:17):
Good morning.

Speaker 1 (00:18):
Okay, do you think this is legit?

Speaker 2 (00:22):
I think that the concept of legit the research backing
it isn't.

Speaker 1 (00:27):
Okay. So this tech has been approved by the FDA
in America. If their stamp isn't good enough, why would
that be?

Speaker 2 (00:35):
The FDA says that it's not going to hurt you.
It doesn't say that it's been researched, and it doesn't
say it's been validated.

Speaker 1 (00:44):
How easy is it for a human to detect concussion
on a sideline.

Speaker 2 (00:49):
It's not. It's one of the most complex things you
can try and detect. People that have never had a
concussion don't even know they've actually suffering the symptoms.

Speaker 1 (00:59):
So what do we need tech to do? How would
this particularly? How does this claim to work?

Speaker 2 (01:06):
This is claiming to work that it uses a signal
that is sent through to the eyes and detect at
the back of the head what you do with an EEG.
The problem is that the research that was done out
of Waka University last year by a PhD student identify
that and I quote, no evidence was found to support
neurocheck's use in the assessment or management for concussion in

(01:28):
rugby athletes.

Speaker 1 (01:30):
Okay, So we really do just need to stick with
the human plan at the moment.

Speaker 2 (01:36):
Yeah, I mean, the science is there, the concept is
in there. It's just that we haven't got to that
point yet.

Speaker 1 (01:43):
So it could be realistic at some point in.

Speaker 2 (01:45):
The future most definitely, but as it currently stands, no, okay.

Speaker 1 (01:50):
Is there aside from what we're currently doing. If this
isn't the solution to solving a you know, this increase
in concussion injuries, we're seeing what else could be.

Speaker 2 (02:00):
Or they're doing blood tests. At the moment, we've just
commenced that through the hospital here in the Hut and
through aut University, and we're looking to see whether that
is viable. I mean, there's a lot of stuff going
on worldwide to look at how we can detect it
other than someone coming up and saying I think they
have a concussion. So the work is going on. We're

(02:21):
just not at the finish line yet to say yes,
this is it.

Speaker 1 (02:25):
SONIW Dylan Rugby says that they'll proceed with caution using
this tech. Should they not at least give it a
go or do you think it's waste of time?

Speaker 2 (02:34):
Well, if they're going to proceive a caution, then I
will be asking what research they've seen or what research
they're going to do, because I think too, based on
searching through all the databases that I did last night,
there wasn't anything published talking specifically of this technology that
is specific to a neurocheck.

Speaker 1 (02:56):
Thanks so much for your thoughts, Doug, appreciate that. Well,
there we go. I thought that was going to be
a winner. Maybe not quite yet, but hopefully sometimes near
in the future.

Speaker 2 (03:04):
For more from Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, listen live
to News Talks it'd be from five am weekdays, or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.