A Radiologist Responds to Terri's CAT Scan

Have you seen that CT scan of Terri's brain and heard the conclusions that her cerebral cortex is gone and her head filled with cerebral spinal fluid? Have you heard it said that this proves that Terri could not possibly speak, feel or interact with her environment? Does hearing that make you disregard any testimony from Terri's family or her nurses that report that Terri responds, speaks, and interacts? I don't know about you, but I don't have the medical expertise to either accept or refute those arguments.

Then I read this from CodeBlueBlog. The author is an M.D., a radiologist with 15 years experience reading tests like this one. He found a copy of this scan online and his take it on raises some important questions and refutes much of what the court and the media have said about it. The guy with the medical degree has a different opinion than the guys with the legal and journalism degrees.

Dr. Boyle says:

First of all, the University of Miami's appellation for this scan is inaccurate. "Cortical regions" are not and can not be filled with spinal fluid. The sulci (spaces between cortical ribbons) are enlarged secondary to cortical atrophy and these sulci are filled with cerbrospinal fluid.

The most alarming thing about this image, however, is that there certainly is cortex left. Granted, it is severely thinned, especially for Terri's age, but I would be nonplussed if you told me that this was a 75 year old female who was somewhat senile but fully functional, and I defy a radiologist anywhere to contest that.

I HAVE SEEN MANY WALKING, TALKING, FAIRLY COHERENT PEOPLE WITH WORSE CEREBRAL/CORTICAL ATROPHY. THEREFORE, THIS IS IN NO WAY PRIMA FACIE EVIDENCE THAT TERRI SCHIAVO'S MENTAL ABILITIES OR/OR CAPABILITIES ARE COMPLETELY ERADICATED. I CANNOT BELIEVE SUCH TESTIMONY HAS BEEN GIVEN ON THE BASIS OF THIS SCAN.

Read the whole thing.

Thanks to BlogsforTerri for this link, which was a cross-post by Richard from Hyscience, who has been tireless in his blogging for Terri Schiavo.

Comments

[Phil S]

I think it is this kind of thing which angers me the most-those in favor of pulling the tube lie about and distort her condition in such a way as to make the casual observer in favor of killing her. Thanks for the information on the CT scan!