Interesting. So it sounds like after some period of time, an MRI or CT should be able to show that a 'beating-heart cadaver' is truly brain dead.

My understanding of comatose/vegetative patients is that it is a different case, where an EEG would actually show some activity. Is that correct?

As for the patient you mention... Wow! Fascinating! What is the definition of 'awake' in his case, how did they not know, and how did they discover??