CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WRIC) -- The University of Virginia (UVA) School of Medicine has secured a $2.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Defense to test whether advanced MRI technology can detect hidden brain injuries in soldiers exposed to blasts.

Current imaging techniques often fail to reveal the subtle brain changes caused by repeated low-level blast exposure, leaving many service members without a clear diagnosis. Research has shown that such exposures may lead to brain scarring caused by nervous system cells known as astrocytes — damage that can currently only be seen under a microscope after death.

The study, led by UVA Health radiologist Dr. James R. Stone, will look at whether a newly installed MRI scanner at UVA’s Fontaine Research Park can spot this scarring in living p

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