Advances in optical imaging in the diagnosis of traumatic brain injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI), a leading cause of neurological disability, imposes a critical need for early and precise diagnosis due to its complex pathological heterogeneity, which directly impacts treatment efficacy and patient prognosis. Although conventional imaging techniques (e.g., CT, MRI) provide structural insights, their inherent limitations in molecular specificity, sensitivity for subtle lesions, and real-time dynamic monitoring necessitate the development of complementary approaches. Optical imaging, including fluorescence, bioluminescence, and photoacoustic imaging, have emerged as powerful tools, enabling non-invasive, real-time, and molecular-specific visualization of pathological cascades with high spatiotemporal resolution. In the field of TBI diagnosis, optical imaging has become a research hotspot. In this review, we systematically explore the mechanisms of optical imaging methods and discuss the latest advances in their use for TBI diagnosis and TBI biomarker identification, and further discusses the possible future development of optical imaging in early diagnosis of TBI.

Statement of significance

(1) Highlights the limitations of current clinical imaging (CT/MRI) in detecting traumatic brain injury (TBI). (2) Showcases the unique advantages of optical imaging (e.g., fluorescence, photoacoustic, afterglow) for TBI diagnosis. (3) Introduces a timely, interdisciplinary review bridging nanomaterials, optical imaging, and TBI diagnostics.