Abstract
Imaging of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI) using conventional techniques such as CT or MRI often results in no specific imaging correlation that would explain cognitive and clinical symptoms. Molecular imaging of mild TBI suggests that secondary events after injury can be detected using PET. However, no single specific pattern emerges that can aid in diagnosing the injury or determining the prognosis of the long-term behavioral profiles, indicating the heterogeneous and diffuse nature of TBI. Chronic traumatic encephalopathy, a primary tauopathy, has been shown to be strongly associated with repetitive TBI. In vivo data on the available tau PET tracers, however, have produced mixed results and overall low retention profiles in athletes with a history of repetitive mild TBI. Here, we emphasize that the lack of a mechanistic understanding of chronic TBI has posed a challenge when interpreting the results of molecular imaging biomarkers. We advocate for better target identification, improved analysis techniques such as machine learning or artificial intelligence, and novel tracer development.