Health

New Technology Helps Rid Tumor From Teen's Brain

(WCCO) A vibrant, seemingly healthy Twin Cities teenager recently faced the crisis of her life. Months of severe headaches and fainting spells lead 17-year-old Hanna Mohan's doctors to the discovery of a brain tumor. It was a very large tumor, two to three inches in diameter, and buried deep within her skull.

"It took some time [to] mentally process the shock of what happened," Mohan said. "How much my life was gonna change so drastically. And it did."

A medical team at Abbott Northwestern Hospital was determined not to let it get the best of her.

"This is as dicey as it gets in medicine," said radiologist Neeraj Chepuri as he studied Magnetic Resonance Imaging scan, or MRI, of Mohan's brain.

The MRI showed how the tumor had invaded an area between a key artery on the left side of her brain and the nerves connecting her eyes to the brain's vision center. It also revealed that the tumor was nestled up against a region of the brain which makes Mohan part of who she is.

"That is the part of her brain that's involved with language processing and creating fluid speech," added Chepuri.

It was a very important part of Mohan's life as a passionate actor in stage plays.

To access the tumor as safely as possible, radiologist Chepuri aided in Mohan's surgery from a room adjoining the operating room where veteran Neurosurgeon Mahmoud Nagib would spend three hours delicately extracting the tumor.

"I'll be able to show him pictorially exactly which part of the brain he went through to get there," said Chepuri.

Before they would finish, a third player would enter the operating room. An Intra-operative MRI scanner emerged from behind giant stainless steel doors. It rode in on metal tracks suspended from the ceiling and was guided to perfect placement around Mohan's head.

The scanner is used to double check what the surgeon's eyes may not be able to see, and make certain all of the tumor is removed before Mohan is wheeled away to recover. 

Nagib now uses the Intra-operative MRI for 80 percent of brain tumor surgeries to try to avoid a second surgery. He said that spares the patient the added risk of possible infection or stroke from reopening the skull. In addition, the best chance to remove the whole tumor happens the first time he operates.

"If any tumor remains it will come back," said Nagib.

Mohan's mother Marci said the Intra-operative MRI was very welcome addition to the tools needed for Hanna's treatment.

"The amazing technology, the phenomenal surgeons, the great medical teams on all levels. And to see Hanna and the success that has come from it, it's a miracle. We are really happy to be on this side of it all," said Marci.

The pathologist's report added to the good news when it confirmed the tumor was not cancerous.

Nearly 400,000 Americans are living with primary brain tumors, both cancerous and benign. Primary tumors originate in the brain, as opposed to secondary brain tumors which appear when cancer from another part of the body spreads.

Just one week later Mohan was enjoying walks, chatting with friends and looking forward to her senior year of high school. Doctors consider her case a complete cure with no major long term impairment.

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