These include: the aging process (starting at 45 to 50) smoking high blood pressure Lymes disease Lupus vasculitis migraines, headaches, some mental disorders and MS.Ĥ. These small white areas on an MRI are what damage due to DAI looks like, but there are numerous other non-traumatic causes for WMH. The problem arises when identifying an abnormality on brain MRI known as “white matter hyperintensities” (WMH). Radiologists, like other physicians, are supposed to attempt to identify the illness or cause of illness through a process known as “differential diagnosis.” This is done by ruling out different possible causes of, say, an abnormality shown in the brain on MRI, until a proven cause can be found.ģ. However, the fact that DAI occurs in mild to moderate TBI is a fairly recent finding and many radiologists were not trained to know this.Ģ.

We now know that DAI can and does occur in the full spectrum of TBI – from mild to severe. This occurs when the brain is subjected to rapid acceleration or deceleration though a high speed motor vehicle accident, for example. The most common method of brain injury in the world arising from trauma is called Diffuse Axonal Injury (DAI). Why do I say this and what does it mean? Let me explain:ġ. The problem is that most radiologists in the United States have decided they do not want to be involved in TBI cases. I recently gave a lecture at the North American Brain Injury Society (NABIS) speaking about what many perceive as a widespread problem in our health care system involving TBI.

Diffusion Tensor Imaging (DTI): An Exciting New Litigation Tool.

The Hidden Injury of TBI: Negative Neuroplasticity.

Traumatic Brain Injury in the Aging Population: Litigating Medical Issues.

Things You Must Know While in the Hospital for TBI.

10 Things You Need to Know About Brain Injury Litigation.Understanding Brain Injury Diagnostic Tests.Mechanisms of White Matter Change Induced By Meditation Training. Physical Exercise Keeps the Brain Connected: Biking Increases White Matter Integrity in Patients With Schizophrenia and Healthy Controls. Svatkova A, Mandl RC, Scheewe TW, Cahn W, Kahn RS, Hulshoff Pol HE. The influence of aerobic fitness on cerebral white matter integrity and cognitive function in older adults: results of a one-year exercise intervention. University of California Davis Health System, Department of Neurology. Trajectory of white matter hyperintensity burden preceding mild cognitive impairment. National Library of Medicine: MedlinePlus.

What is white matter in the brain