MTBI - Diffusion Tensor MRI

Hi,

I was on work assignment in Helsinki recently, and was assaulted by two-drunken thugs. Even though I faired well overall (thankfully!), I received lots of hard hits to the head; in particular, the forehead and upper temporal regions.  There was a point during the altercation that I was thinking to myself: Why aren't they hitting me?  Now, thinking back, I believe they actually were hitting me at full force, but I must have gotten so dazed by the first blow that I didn't feel the next 15 after that.    I was really in sort of a twilight zone and my vision was completely gone during the barrage. However, I always knew where I was and what was happening.  I have lots of previous wrestling experience, so I guess my reflexes kept me in relatively safe positions during that time (i.e. not getting my head hit on the pavement or kicked like a soccer ball).

Once I recovered from the daze, I was able to continue and calmly plan my moves.  I even held the bigger guy, hoping that some passer-by would call the police. But nobody passed-by, and I was repeatedly hit and kicked in the head by his smaller accomplice.  At the time, I figured that I could have endured it further, but I sensed the risk of getting stabbed was too great, so I let them go. Fortunately, they left--perhaps for fear of being identified by possible onlookers... not that I think anyone in Helsinki would actually step forward to help a stranger in distress. They'd sooner hide themselves under a rock. I know it's a sad commentary, but that's the impression I got during my time there.

Post Concussion Syndrome

Directly afterwards, I called police and was able to recall all events before, during and after. No amnesia. In fact, no symptoms that night whatsoever; I felt very alert and coherent despite being bloody, swollen and sore.  However, over the next days, I started suffering from physical balance/disorientation and vision problems, severe cranium pain around the upper temporal region, mid-brain tinnitus and facial numbness (around my eye). The balance problems and tinnitus still persist now, over 9-weeks later. I also still have cranium pain which moves from one area of my skull to another, several times throughout each day.  It's not really a migraine or anything inside my head; rather it feels like it's on the outside.

Since I'm one of those easily replaceable 'professional paid thinkers,' I'm worried about cognitive deficits.  I've had various concussions throughout my life. The one at 9-years-old was particularly bad: I crashed my bicycle and landed on my forehead (right side). I only lost consciousness for a second or two--nothing that a bag of ice and some cherry pie couldn't fix--but I had lots of behavior problems in subsequent years.

After this latest incident, I had an EEG done. It was fine.  I also had a regular MRI done. It showed that my white matter looks perfect, and there's no atrophy anywhere.  But I still feel that I've got some deficits--not just the behavioral one described above.  According to my readings, the Diffusion Tensor MRI would give me the best idea of which region of my brain isn't functioning properly due to sheared axons and such.  The University of Pennsylvania Health System quoted me a cash price of $710, which includes contrast.  I'd really like to give this a go.

Thanks greatly for reading.  I would much appreciate your thoughts.

Regards