Chapter 171: Getting Heated (4)

The feeling of seeing the test results could be compared to receiving a package. It might seem strange to others, but Suhyuk always felt this way.

[Do not get nervous. Why is your heart rate increasing every time?]

‘Are you not excited?’

[It would be weird if I were excited.]

‘Ah, right, because you’re just code.’

Suhyuk shook his head while tapping on the mouse. His actions may have appeared odd as he talked to himself and nodded continuously, but fortunately, no one in the Internal Medicine ward found it strange anymore. They simply thought that the director’s son was up to his peculiar antics again.

Thanks to this, Suhyuk could review the results without any interruptions.

‘The AST/SLT liver levels have increased.’

[50/57. It is not very high, but it cannot be ignored.]

In fact, this level could occur due to common fatty liver disease. If there were no symptoms, it would have been safe to ignore. However, now it couldn’t be dismissed because the patient had a fever. This might be a clue.

Baruda marked the red flagged values within the data.

‘What about infectious diseases…?’

Baruda was responsible for organizing the data, so Suhyuk decided to gloss over this aspect.

‘Hmm?’

However, he couldn’t maintain his relaxed expression throughout.

‘All negative?’

[All types of hepatitis A, B, and C are negative. The PCR results also show…it was a respiratory infection virus?]

‘Yes. Those are also negative.’

[HIV and syphilis are also negative.]

In other words, all common infectious diseases were showing as negative results. The possibility of bacterial infection was increasing; however, it was too early to see the blood culture test results. It had been barely a day since the tests were conducted.

If anything appeared at this stage, it would be more accurate to consider contamination during the testing process rather than growth from the patient’s blood.

‘Maybe it isn’t an infection?’

The old Suhyuk might have panicked or simply decided to wait for further results based on these findings. Indeed, if he were still inexperienced like in his younger days, that is what he would have done. However, the current Suhyuk displayed considerable maturity beyond his years. This transformation was not just bravado but reflected genuine growth in expertise.

“What are you suspecting?”

Instead of making baseless taunts, Baruda decided to ask Suhyuk questions first. He was aware that Suhyuk occasionally made breakthroughs with this approach.

‘Could it be Lupus? Considering the patient’s age… and the fever without any apparent cause. Although there is no bruising…’

“Hmm… There are also no butterfly rashes present. It might be worth considering, but it seems risky to jump to conclusions. The likelihood appears low.”

‘Then…’

“Let’s focus more on positive data rather than negative findings for now.”

‘What do you mean?’

“Have her liver enzymes not increased?”

‘Oh.’

“But since we still haven’t identified the cause of the fever… let’s proceed with a CT scan.”

‘A CT scan.’

One might question why a CT scan was needed for an infection rather than cancer, but in reality, few diagnostic tools were as helpful as a CT scan for identifying infections on-site. Especially when using contrast agents, they enhanced areas with inflammation.

The problem was persuading the patient, but fortunately, this wasn’t a private clinic but Taehwa Medical Center.

“Thus…we need a CT scan. Fortunately, there is an opening due to a cancellation, and we can proceed immediately.”

“Oh…is it necessary?”

“Yes.”

“And it’s not dangerous?”

A CT scan itself posed no risk. However, prolonged exposure could lead to radiation concerns. For a single scan, it was considered safe. The concern lay with the contrast agent used during the procedure.

Although rare, there were instances where CT scans resulted in death.

“Out of every hundred thousand patients, one to three may experience fatal side effects. Have you had this test before? If everything went smoothly then, it should be fine.”

“No, this is my first time.”

“As I mentioned earlier, these complications are extremely uncommon. Moreover, Taehwa Medical Center has emergency medical personnel on standby twenty-four hours a day, so any adverse reactions can be promptly addressed.” She also reassured him that since he was young and had no underlying health issues, the likelihood of severe complications was minimal.

Having endured the mysterious fever for days, the patient needed no further convincing. However, he did express a slight dissatisfaction:

“It seems like…other patients get seen by professors, but I only have you…and the doctor from yesterday’s outpatient clinic?”

Her complaint was reasonable rather than baseless. After all, she had been admitted to a university hospital expecting to be seen by a professor, not just a resident. It was natural for her to feel this way since it wasn’t what she initially anticipated.

“Ah… I’ll discuss this with the professor. Please don’t worry about that aspect.”

“Umm… okay. Understood.” Suhyuk nodded, determined to consult with the professor if no clues were found in the CT scan.

After sending the patient downstairs for further testing, Ji-sang finally arrived. He looked exhausted, likely due to being on call throughout the night.

“Huh…huh? No patient here?”

“I sent them for a CT scan. Couldn’t find the cause of the fever.”

“Oh… A CT scan? For the lungs?”

“No, abdomen and perineal area. Since she’s female, we need to consider various possibilities.”

“Ah… But you still can’t figure it out?”

“Am I some kind of magic wand that can diagnose just by looking at someone? Tests need to be conducted.”

“That…that’s true.” Jisang nodded but didn’t seem entirely convinced.

It was understandable given Suhyuk’s numerous accomplishments over the past two years. He had discovered conditions even professors couldn’t find, instantly diagnosed patients in the emergency room, and cured illnesses deemed incurable. These feats were so extraordinary that they seemed almost unbelievable.

“I don’t know what you’re thinking, but it’s likely far-fetched.”

‘Exactly! Why are your eyes darting around like that?’

“It reminds me of Soohyuk from before.”

‘Haa… That was because of you…’

“Really?”

‘Really what?’

“Do you think something similar happened to Ji-sang as with me?”

‘Ah… No, that’s not possible.’

Once, Suhyuk calculated the possibility of receiving Baruda’s artificial intelligence. During the manifestation process, there was a chance that it could explode and lodge itself in someone’s head without causing death but instead leading to transplantation. It would be nothing short of a miracle.

Could such an event occur twice within the same era? The likelihood seemed lower than God manifesting on Earth.

“Uh… Already receiving images?”

While his mind wandered briefly, patient videos started streaming as Suhyuk had mentioned. Apparently, two patients who were scheduled failed to show up. Recently, he noticed a significant decrease in patients due to fierce competition from Asan Medical Center and Chilseong Hospital. However, this operational concern should primarily worry Lee Hyunjong, the hospital administrator.

For Suhyuk, who needed to see patients immediately, this was good news.

“Hmm… I am not sure what is strange here.”

It seemed Ji-sang didn’t mind appearing ignorant in front of Suhyuk as he kept repeating that he wasn’t sure about anything.

“No, wait a moment. Here. Something seems off here.”

Suhyuk had long surpassed the level of a resident doctor. Fortunately for Ji-sang, Suhyuk focused solely on the scan from the start without paying much attention to him. His concentration remained fixed on the image.

“Hmm… The lymph nodes appear enlarged?”

Not only are they enlarged, but there’s also increased contrast enhancement.

Enlarged and enhanced lymph nodes indicated…

This indicated that for some reason, her lymph nodes were highly active. Even someone with no medical knowledge could tell this wasn’t good news.

Suhyuk furrowed his brow and organized the information he had gathered about the patient so far.

‘A young woman, unexplained fever not responding to painkillers, clear lungs…and pancytopenia.’

[And there is enlargement of the lymph nodes.]

‘Damn it, does she have leukemia?’

Leukemia - what a cruel diagnosis for someone who just came in with a fever. Although recent advancements in cancer treatments have increased cure rates, it remains a tragic diagnosis for any individual. Suhyuk still lacked confidence in delivering such devastating news.

Whether by luck or skill, Suhyuk had witnessed significantly fewer deaths compared to his peers in Internal Medicine.

“At present, it is highly likely. There is no evidence suggesting an infectious disease, whereas multiple indicators point towards leukemia.”

‘However, isn’t the decrease in blood cell counts not as pronounced for leukemia?’

“Hmm… Well, your argument has merit. However, more evidence is needed to claim it’s not leukemia.”

Suhyuk acknowledged this need for further evidence, finding it impossible to argue against such a valid point. Instead of engaging in a pointless debate, he decided to focus on gathering additional proof.

I had already reviewed her chart once, so it seemed futile, but one never knows. Similar to how Go players improve by reviewing their games, internal medicine doctors often discover missed details when revisiting patient charts.

Didn’t you mention her blood pressure dropped earlier?

[Yes, it’s 92 over 57.]

Quite low indeed. Did you check her heart rate?

[I’ll provide that now.]

It appeared Baruda only inputted vital signs without analyzing them while preoccupied with watching the video footage. This was understandable as nothing unexpected had occurred initially. However, seeing Baruda’s expression suddenly change moments later raised my suspicions.

What’s going on?

[The pulse rate is… 58.]

‘Huh? What was it yesterday?’

[At admission, it was 84 beats per minute. It has slowed down.]

‘His blood pressure decreased, but his pulse rate increased? This seems strange.’

In truth, this could be overlooked as unusual. Most residents would not think much of it here. However, Suhyuk had surpassed the level of a resident multiple times, and in some aspects, he was beyond even professors.

[Searching for diseases causing relative bradycardia from infections.]

Moreover, Suhyuk had Baruda at his disposal. Instead of merely finding something odd, he could analyze it using data.

‘This guy… He has been silently scrolling through his mouse for some time now?’

Internally, Suhyuk was undergoing an intense diagnostic process, but from the outside, it appeared as if he was merely playing around with his computer.

Of course, Jisang didn’t dare to interrupt Suhyuk or tap him on the shoulder.

“Huh? Shin… Professor Shin?”

“I heard about it. You’re seeing patients without notifying me?”

Not only did Shin Hyun-tae unexpectedly appear, but he also brought along the fellow who had confessed Ji-sang’s actions.

“Uh… That is…” Ji-sang froze, fully aware of his mistake.

Contrary to Ji-sang’s expectation, Shin Hyun-tae simply laughed.

“It’s okay. Looking at it, Suhyuk seems to have seen Ji-sang’s behavior. That should be fine.”

“Ah…”

Is that really fine? Suhyuk is also a resident. Shin Hyun-tae had these thoughts but didn’t express them since he wasn’t angry. Instead, he followed Manager Shin Hyun-tae as they observed Soohyuk.

[Please excuse the delay as this search is based on Suhyuk’s brain.]

‘Already known? Why are you reminding me of this?’

[For inexplicable reasons, doing it this way improves computational ability by 12%.]

‘Are you crazy?’

[Ah. Outputting now.]

‘What is it?’

[Oh.]

‘Hurry up and tell me instead of beating around the bush!’

[Oh.]