London researchers develop technique to test consciousness of comatose patients [Video]

A group of London-based researchers is heralding a new bedside brain imaging technique they say can detect conscious awareness in ICU patients left comatose with a severe brain injury.

Researchers from Lawson Health Research Institute and Western University say the technique, called functional near infrared spectroscopy, or fNIRS, “opens the door” for improving the accuracy of an unresponsive patient’s prognosis. 

The study identify a patient who, despite appearing unresponsive, was actually entirely conscious, said Dr. Karnig Kazazian, the study’s co-lead author and research scientist at London Health Sciences Centre. 

“If you knew a patient was conscious, that’s really going to influence a decision about continuing aggressive life-sustaining care, versus transitioning to comfort-focused care and having them pass away peacefully,” Kazazian said. 

“If we know they’re in there, and if we know they’re aware, then we may be able to ask them some simple questions so they can have the autonomy …