Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 6/1/2009

Question
Dr. Nordquist,
My mother has been diagnosed with a tumor in her right thalamus.  She started having symtoms in April 09.  She was watching T.V. and she started slurring her speech and she said she had a bad headache.  She took Aleve.  Her symtoms went away for a while.  About six weeks later, she
became confused and started falling and stumbling on her right side.  Several MRI's have been done.  The neurosurgeon talked to me about a biopsy. We agreed to have the biopsy and then the Dr. postponed this procedure.  We are to go back for another MRI on June 15.
Would you please tell me what you know about this?  She has been living in a nursing home since May 13, 09, because she needed physical therapy, speech therapy, and she is at a high risk for falling.  Any knowlege or advice would be extremely helpful.  My mother is 75 years old.
We live in Mississippi.

Thanks,

Dianne Spencer

Answer
To be able to give you a good answer I do need to read her full MRI reports which can be copied here. The location in her thalamus will probably make any surgical procedure very difficult and dangerous including any biopsy procedure - which really is necessary for a sure diagnosis. That is probably the reason why this procedure is being postponed or maybe even abandoned.