Diagnostic dilemma: A woman heard voices telling her she had a brain tumor ‪—‬ and scans confirmed she did

A close up of a woman with wavy brown hair holds her hand to her mouth. She stands next to closed window blinds and looks to the left of the image.

The patient: A woman in her 40s in the United Kingdom

The symptoms: One day, as the woman was reading, she heard an unfamiliar voice say, "Please don't be afraid. I know it must be shocking for you to hear me speaking to you like this, but this is the easiest way I could think of. My friend and I used to work at the Children's Hospital, Great Ormond Street, and we would like to help you."