Technological advancements in clinical diagnostics and therapeutics for mild traumatic brain injury management: A narrative review

Mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is a globally prevalent, albeit underdiagnosed, neurological condition. Current acute imaging guidelines predate advances in neuroimaging and digital health, and significant inter-institutional variability persists in imaging practices, follow-up strategies, and technology integration. This narrative review synthesizes contemporary evidence on the diagnostic evaluation measures and technology-assisted management of mTBI, providing clinicians with a practical perspective on the role of emerging imaging and digital health tools in optimizing diagnostic accuracy, monitoring strategies, and rehabilitation outcomes. Clinical guidelines and peer-reviewed studies published between 2000 and 2025 were identified via PubMed and Google Scholar using the following search terms: “mild traumatic brain injury,” “concussion,” “neuroimaging,” “rehabilitation technology,” and “post-concussion syndrome.” The Canadian computed tomography Head Rule (CCHR) and New Orleans Criteria (NOC) provide validated acute imaging frameworks; however, both possess structural limitations in special populations, such as children, older adults, and anticoagulant users, for whom modified decision tools and thresholds are needed. Advanced neuroimaging techniques (diffusion tensor imaging [DTI], susceptibility-weighted imaging [SWI], functional magnetic resonance imaging [fMRI], magnetoencephalography [MEG], magnetic resonance spectroscopy [MRS], and quantitative electroencephalography [qEEG]) reveal microstructural, functional, and metabolic injury aspects that are imperceptible in conventional imaging, although most remain investigational, pending protocol standardization. Technology-assisted recovery approaches such as digital symptom tracking, wearable biosensors, telemedicine, virtual reality-based interventions, and artificial intelligence-driven training demonstrate promise across the rehabilitation care continuum; nevertheless, the paucity of high-quality trial data and nonexistent implementation standards limit clinical translation. In general, the focal limitation is variability across imaging protocols, guideline applicability, technology validation, and care access. Coordinated multicenter research, population-specific guideline development, and equitable implementation frameworks can actualize the potentiality of emerging neuroimaging and rehabilitation technologies in mTBI management.