Apr 14, 2026 09:30 PM
https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/1123339
INTRO: In a large sample of United States (U.S.) Special Operations Forces personnel, researchers found that a higher prevalence of intracranial aneurysms were independently associated with greater repeated blast exposure. Results of the study were [url=Blast exposure linked to brain aneurysms in U.S. Special Operations Forces published today in Radiology, a journal of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
Special Operations Forces are elite, highly trained military units designed for clandestine, high-risk and time-sensitive missions beyond the capability of conventional forces. Controlled by U.S. Special Operations Command, these units specialize in unconventional warfare, direct action, counterterrorism and reconnaissance. These units include the Green Berets, 75th Ranger Regiment, Navy SEALs and the Marine Forces Special Operations Command, among others.
Blast exposure is common in military service, yet its long-term effects on the brain remain poorly understood. Researchers looked to determine the prevalence of structural brain MRI abnormalities in Special Operations Forces personnel and examine their association with cumulative blast exposure.
“This study is the first to examine the relationship between cumulative blast exposure and structural brain MRI findings in a large group of U.S. Special Operations Forces,” said lead author Sara De Giorgi, M.D., radiologist and postdoctoral research fellow in neuroradiology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. “We found that intracranial aneurysms were more common in individuals with higher blast exposure.” (MORE - details, no ads)
INTRO: In a large sample of United States (U.S.) Special Operations Forces personnel, researchers found that a higher prevalence of intracranial aneurysms were independently associated with greater repeated blast exposure. Results of the study were [url=Blast exposure linked to brain aneurysms in U.S. Special Operations Forces published today in Radiology, a journal of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA).
Special Operations Forces are elite, highly trained military units designed for clandestine, high-risk and time-sensitive missions beyond the capability of conventional forces. Controlled by U.S. Special Operations Command, these units specialize in unconventional warfare, direct action, counterterrorism and reconnaissance. These units include the Green Berets, 75th Ranger Regiment, Navy SEALs and the Marine Forces Special Operations Command, among others.
Blast exposure is common in military service, yet its long-term effects on the brain remain poorly understood. Researchers looked to determine the prevalence of structural brain MRI abnormalities in Special Operations Forces personnel and examine their association with cumulative blast exposure.
“This study is the first to examine the relationship between cumulative blast exposure and structural brain MRI findings in a large group of U.S. Special Operations Forces,” said lead author Sara De Giorgi, M.D., radiologist and postdoctoral research fellow in neuroradiology at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston. “We found that intracranial aneurysms were more common in individuals with higher blast exposure.” (MORE - details, no ads)