“Excuse me. Someone called for a consult on a skull film.”
Thomas pushed off from the wall, saying he’d just be a minute. As they walked back to the lounge he gave Denise a thumbnail sketch of Lynn Anne’s case. He told her that he thought the X ray was normal but wanted confirmation about the pituitary area.
“What’s the diagnosis?” asked Denise.
“That’s the problem,” said Thomas opening the door to the lounge. “The poor thing has been here for five hours, but I can’t put it all together. I thought maybe she was a druggie but she’s not. She doesn’t even smoke grass.”
Thomas snapped the film up on the viewer. Denise scanned it in an orderly fashion, starting with the bones.
“I’ve been getting some crap from the rest of the ER staff,” Thomas said. “They think I’m interested in the case because the patient is a piece of ass.”
Denise broke off from studying the X ray to eye Thomas sharply.
“But that’s not it,” said Thomas. “There’s something wrong with this girl’s brain. And whatever it is, it’s widespread.”
Sanger redirected her attention to the film. The bony structure was normal, including the pituitary area. She looked at the vague shadows within the skull. For orientation purposes she checked to see if the pineal gland was calcified. It wasn’t. She was about to declare the film normal when she perceived a very slight variation in texture. Forming a small open area with her two hands, she studied the particular section of the film. It was a trick similar to the one she saw Philips do with the hole in the paper. Taking her hands away she was convinced I She’d found another example of the density change Martin had shown to her earlier on Lisa Marino’s film.
“I want someone else to see this film,” said Denise, pulling it from the viewer.
“You find something?” asked Thomas, encouraged.
“I think so. Keep the patient here until I get back.” Denise was gone before Thomas could reply.
Two minutes later she was in Martin’s office.
“Are you sure?” he asked.
“I’m pretty sure.” She handed the film to him.
Martin took the X ray but didn’t put it up immediately. He fingered it, afraid he would be faced with another disappointment.
“Come on,” said Denise. She was eager to have her suspicions confirmed.
The X ray slid under the clips. The light in the viewer blinked, then came on. Philips’ trained eye traced an erratic path over the appropriate area. “I think you’re right,” he said. Using the piece of paper with the hole in it, he examined the X ray more closely. There was no doubt that the same abnormal density pattern he’d seen on Lisa Marino’s X ray existed on this film. The difference was that on the new one it was less pronounced and not so extensive.
Trying to control his excitement, Martin switched on Michaels’ computer. He keyed in the name. Turning to Denise, he asked what the patient’s present complaint was. Denise told him it was difficulty in reading associated with blackout spells. Philips entered the information, then stepped over to the laser reader. When the little red light came on, he pushed in the edge of the film. The output typewriter snapped into action. Thank you, it said. Take a nap I
While they waited, Denise told Martin what else she’d learned about Lynn Anne Lucas, but he was most excited about the fact that the patient was alive and in the emergency room.
As soon as the typewriter ceased its rapid staccato, Philips tore off the report. He read it with Denise looking over his shoulder.
“Amazing!” said Philips when he’d finished. “The computer certainly agrees with your impression. And it remembered that it had seen the same density pattern on Lisa Marino’s X ray, and on top of that it asks me to tell it what this density variation is! This thing is God-damn amazing. It wants to learn! It’s so human it scares me. The next thing I know is that it will want to get married to the CAT scan computer and take the whole summer off.”