How to diagnose chronic progressive unilateral hearing loss?

Hi doctor,

I am a 37-year-old man. I recently had an MRI for chronic, progressive unilateral hearing loss. My physician (ENT) ordered a brain MRI with contrast. His office called a week ago to state that there were several abnormalities but would not expand on that information. I have been referred to a neurologist but cannot be seen for over a month, and I am quite concerned. The text of the report is below.

Can you please tell me what these results could indicate? Especially the portion that says the moderate punctate paraventricular deep white matter is seen bilaterally, clearly abnormal for a patient this age.

I did have a significant concussion when I was 18 years old. Would this account for the findings on the MRI?

Text of MRI report:

1. Procedure: MRI brain and IACS without and with I.V. contrast.
2. Comparison: None.
3. Indication: Asymmetrical hearing loss.
4. Clinical: Patient states left hearing loss for 1 year.
5. Priors: No.
6. Injury: Concussion 20 years ago.
7. Cancer: No.
8. Surgery: No.
9. Technique: Multisequence, multiplanar MRI imaging was performed on a 1.5T magnet. 3D reconstructions were performed on a workstation.
10. Contrast: Images obtained before and after contrast.
11. Gadavist: 10 milliliter vial. 8 milliliters were administered IV. 2 milliliters of wasted contrast from the single dose vial.
12. Sedation: None.
13. Findings:
14. Posterior fossa:
15. Cranial nerves: normal.
16. Brainstem: Normal.
17. Cerebellum: Unremarkable.
18. Mastoid air cells: Normal.
19. Other: Negative.
20. Brain:
21. Ventricle sulci: Normal.
22. Cerebrum: There is no acute CVA, mass, or hemorrhage. Moderate punctate paraventricular deep white matter is seen bilaterally. This is a nonspecific finding but abnormal for a patient this age. This could relate to old traumatic deep white matter disease prior.
23. Infectious or inflammatory processes. The findings are not suggestive of multiple sclerosis. Mild encephalomalacia is seen in the inferior right frontal lobe in the anterior right cranial fossa, suggestive of old posttraumatic encephalomalacia.
24. Basal cisterns: Unremarkable.
25. Skull: Unremarkable.
26. Sinuses: Unremarkable.

Conclusion:

1. Cranial nerves are unremarkable.

2. Presumed posttraumatic encephalomalacia inferior right frontal lobe.

3. Extensive punctate paraventricular deep white matter disease is chronic and nonspecific but may relate to prior infectious, traumatic, or inflammatory processes.

4. No abnormalities are seen to explain the loss of hearing in the left ear.

Thank you.