Doc Says Giuliani Is In "Very Good Health"

One week after a severe headache forced Rudy Giuliani to spend a night in the hospital, his doctor declared the Republican presidential candidate to be "in very good health."

Minutes into a flight from St. Louis on Dec. 19, Giuliani had his pilot turn the plane back so that he could spend the night at Barnes-Jewish Hospital for tests. The former New York mayor had been campaigning in Missouri, which holds primary elections on Feb. 5.

The statement Wednesday from Dr. Valentin Fuster of New York's Mount Sinai Medical Center, Giuliani's personal physician of more than seven years, said he was informed Dec. 19 that Giuliani was suffering from "a significant headache and fatigue," symptoms that he said could be described as possibly flu-like, which is how Giuliani's campaign had described them.

"Because of the significant headache, it was important to have as much information as possible and err on the side of caution," said Fuster, who said he was in contact with doctors in St. Louis throughout that evening.

"Mr. Giuliani underwent the following tests at Barnes-Jewish Hospital: CT-MRI of the brain, ultrasound of the carotid arteries, and spinal fluid evaluation," Fuster said. "These tests all came back normal."

Fuster said a PSA screening, a test done for prostate cancer, which Giuliani has had, "was negligible or undetectable." Routine lab tests were normal, he said.

"Upon returning to New York City, Mr. Giuliani came to me for an examination and a further test, a transesophageal echocardiogram, which was normal," Fuster said. "I confirmed there was no change in his health status.

"Mr. Giuliani was not prescribed any medication and I recommended that he lighten his schedule only for a few days," Fuster said. "It is my medical opinion that Rudy Giuliani is in very good health."

Giuliani was released from the hospital on Dec. 20 and canceled a stop scheduled in New Hampshire for the next day. He resumed campaigning that weekend and followed with a Christmas break.