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September 17, 2005

Terri Schiavo CT brain scan

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Terri Schiavo's brain CT was exhibited on MSN.com on 3/29/05. On this site there was also a sober discussion with a neurologist who had previouslyexamined Terri Schiavo. The head CT shows extensive brain damage with marked atrophy (shrinkage) of the upper portion of the brain. Recovery from such extensive brain damage is medically impossible.

I had previously been disturbed by recent reports in the media that as a result of a court order both food and water were being withheld from her by mouth. In my mind these are not appropriate comfort measures to take with such a patient, and food and water by mouth should be given if the patient so desires.

However with such severe brain damage as evidenced by this brain CT it is highly unlikely that Terri Schiavo is capable of any voluntary movement including chewing and swallowing food. This would make it very difficult if not impossible for her to be spoon fed by mouth. Indeed this was likely the reason why the feeding tube was inserted into her stomach in the first place.

Steve Collins, MD  3 30 05