MRI diffuse white matter disease
 

Has anyone had this reported on your MRI since your concussion? I ask this, because 6 days after my accident I was admitted into the hospital, the MRI showed white matter disease diffusely which on the most part indicates Alzheimers. In my research, I found that Neurologist specializing in TBI that this is also indicative of damage from the accident.

Most probably damage rather than a disease (like Alzheimer's).
I had saved an interesting article in my bookmarks about MRI and white matter damage when I was researching my vertigo/dizziness.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...0415084520.htm
MRI pinpoints region of brain injury in some concussion patients
Date:April 15, 2014
Source:Radiological Society of North America

Look in PubMed for the author Alhilali
e.g.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23781117
Radiology. 2013 Oct;269(1):249-57. doi: 10.1148/radiol.13122343. Epub 2013 Jun 18.
Symptomatic white matter changes in mild traumatic brain injury resemble pathologic features of early Alzheimer dementia.
Fakhran S1, Yaeger K, Alhilali L.

This makes so much sense! I am too young for alzheimers...the neurologist I seen and the neurosurgeon said that this is odd. I am seeing the wrong doctor. I need to seek out one of the specialist. But here is my question, does this mean everything is permanent?

Lara you are a God sent. This doctor is in my area :) I am going to make an appointment with her on Monday

Are you kidding? In your area?

_________

Not permanent. Not to my understanding.

It also says in that first article that cerebellar injury could mean longer recovery time, but it says "recovery". Author also said that everyone is different. Every case is not the same.

I've had residual vertigo for almost 9 years. I was never sent for vestibular therapy. I wasn't sent for anything. I thought it was in my ears, and then all my foggy brain and memory issues and other things got better and I was left with this vertigo which was for some years incapacitating totally. Now I'm able to go places and feel less afraid of another fall or dying attempting to walk across the street because of my vertigo. Sounds lame I guess, but it's been horrible. Now I see the light at the end of the tunnel and I wonder how much faster I would have recovered if I had proper care.

anyway...

Yes, how divine is that. I see my neurosurgeon and pain management doctor through the same facility.

Lara...if one thing I have learned from this is that is unpredictable. Nothing is lame in regards to this, it is misunderstood, misdirected....and a struggle.

awsome thread - please keep us posted - especially if you see this specialist!

I most certainly will... And thank you for the pituitary discussion. Although, I had testing done by my PCP....I am now in question as to whether seeing an endocrinologist is not beneficial, just to have the clarity.

Sure. There are several different hormones that can be deficient, not just the thyroid and the levels that indicate a deficiency are different after a brain injury and most PCP's don't know that. Unfortunately, most endos don't know that either... if you do go to one, go to one with experience with this sort of thing. If you have any questions, feel free to reply or PM.

My MRI showed evidence of a prior injury to the brain and evidence of white matter disease. My family doctor said the white matter was nothing to worry about, and that it was indicative of normal aging.
Jamie

[QUOTE=thedude58;1096597]My MRI showed evidence of a prior injury to the brain and evidence of white matter disease. My family doctor said the white matter was nothing to worry about, and that it was indicative of normal aging.
Jamie[/QUOTE

That is correct if you are over 60. However, having diffuse white matter disease at 41 is not indicative of aging. There is significant scientific proof that TBI and white matter disease are related in the aspect of injury. Think about it this way....

If you hit your arm hard enough the small vessels under your skin will break, therefore lead to small bleeding causing a bruise. The white matter in your brain the same....if your brain accelerates/decelerates enough, the same. Most small vessels cannot withstand too much injury, without atrophy.

Thanks for that, I'm 57 and the scan was about a year ago. I understand the machanics of the damage, and that it does not necessarily show up in an MRI.

Update
 

I have made some phone calls today, one to the doctor who wrote the articles...She is actually a Neuroradiologist, and is working with informing the medical community about differentiating white matter disease impact after brain injury. Which, this lead me to a sports concussion clinic whom deals with nothing but TBI, I made an appointment. I also was able to discuss my situation with a doctor there over the phone. First, everyone does not respond to all vestibular therapies, more than often your treatment will have to be modified to you...so if it is not working you need to be with a specialist who is trained adequately to know there are other treatments and that you need them. If you are not with a therapist that is capable of doing, find one who is. 2. White matter disease showing up on an MRI of someone under the age of 60 post head injury IS indicative of areas that the brain received damage. It was explained to me, that even though most doctors will blow this off, if you have had a concussion and your MRI is positive for this, this needs to addressed. This is a leading cause to memory problems. 3. There is hope in making things manageable. The right specialist will know how to effectively treat you, the problem has been, what is not known by most doctors regarding TBI is blown off. They don't know how to address a problem that they are so unfamiliar with.

So, now that I know that several of my doctors are in the unknown and have lead me down a path of feeling stuck in this state forever. So, they will not be my treatment physicians for this.

I will let you all know what information I can gather.

A few years ago, when I mentioned that white matter damage to my own PCP as being an indicator of mTBI on an MRI (none was specifically mentioned that I'm aware of on any of the MRI's that I had been given) she told me that most radiologists don't even look at the white matter on the images and she thought they certainly don't include any white matter anomalies they might see in their reports.

It's been very interesting and validating to be her patient through my recovery because she knows that I read real scientific articles and takes what I say about them seriously.

I think it is important that you have a good rapport with your doctor. My report personally noted white matter disease diffusely. I am going to take this journey with Dr. Alhilali clinic that she does her studies with. If any information comes out of it, I will be sure to share.

So what you guys are saying is that some incompetent boob might have reviewed my brain mri. He didn't even know how many teslas the machine was. Stared at me with blank face!! And i'm supposed to trust him. Maybe i should get a copy for my doctor

Yes, get a copy if you can! I got one and it was free. I only had to ask and go to the hospital to pick it up.