Autism Breakthrough: Diagnosis in 15 minutes and 90% Accuracy

posted on Aug 20 by in the Disability News, Healthcare, Technology category

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A breakthrough happened within the autism community that will change the way that autism is diagnosed.  A new technique developed at King’s College London uses a fifteen minute MRI scan to analyze the structure of grey matter in the brain.  Tests have shown that the accuracy rate is 90%.

ASD is currently diagnosed behaviorally with a list of symptoms.  With this new ability to detect autism with anatomical data, screening could be done at a very young age without the need of a parent or doctor to notice behavior changes.

A study was performed at the Institute of Psychiatry (IoP) using MRI scans on three different groups of males.  20 were healthy controls, 20 had prior diagnoses of ASD, and 19 were diagnosed with ADHD.  Each was given traditional testing involving an IQ test, a psychiatric interview, a physical exam, and a blood test.  After this was done the subjects were scanned via MRI to see if there were biological correlates to their diagnosis.  The difference in the brain of an autistic person and other subjects was noted as special cortical features. The ADHD was not able to be differentiated from their healthy counterparts yet provided another control for autism detection.

The researchers attempted to distinguish the two different types of diagnoses of autism vs. Aspergers, but it was difficult to know with so few participants.  Future research will determine if they will be able to diagnose subcategories of the differences in brains.

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A 2006 study at Drexel Univesity estimated that 1 in 170 children have some form of ASD, ten times higher than the estimate given in the 1980′s.  It is unknown if we are diagnosing the disorder more consistently, or if it is on the rise.

To learn more about the autism breakthrough for 15 minute detection using MRI, watch the video below:

One Comment

Andy, posted this comment on Oct 30th, 2011

Very interesting. I have Asperger”s syndrom and am increasingly frustrated be how it is treated as a psychological condition and dignososed as such. The current behavior diagnosis is a little like checking to see if someone is one handed by wheather they can tie their shoe laces.
It”s very indirect.
It”s sidlines people who have adapted and could pass these adaptations onto others.
It assumes you are incapable of doing well.

I welcome empirical tests that are quick and easy like this one. I just hope they get the accuracy rate up.

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