Lewis Clear to Resume NBA Career : Basketball: New tests results show earlier diagnosis of life-threatening heart ailment was in error.

Boston Celtic star Reggie Lewis can return to basketball, doctors said Monday, discounting an earlier diagnosis of a life-threatening heart ailment.

Doctors now say Lewis suffers from a neural condition, in which the nerves become confused in trying to signal the heart to speed up or slow down. The condition can be treated with medication.

Gilbert Mudge, director of clinical cardiology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said Lewis has a “normal athlete’s heart with normal function.”

“I am optimistic that under medical supervision, Mr. Reggie Lewis will be able to return to professional basketball without limitation,” Mudge said.

Lewis, 27, had undergone tests since he collapsed during a playoff game April 29. He was taken to New England Baptist Hospital, where the Celtics assembled a team of heart specialists.

They diagnosed Lewis with cardiomyopathy--a potentially life-threatening disease that causes the heart to beat less vigorously.

Faced with the prospect of his career ending, Lewis switched to Brigham and Women’s Hospital, he said Monday, “just to get a second opinion.”

Mudge said his medical team conducted more tests and viewed the data collected at New England Baptist. Some tests indicated there might be heart abnormalities. Other tests showed no problems.

“There is conflicting data that we’ve had to resolve,” Mudge said.

After more analysis, Mudge said doctors concluded Lewis has neurocardiogenic syncope.

Mudge called it a “poorly understood” neural reflex in which the heart rate falls, instead of increasing, during peak exercise.

“The nerves are perfectly normal. The heart is perfectly normal,” said Mark Creager, one of the doctors who tested Lewis. “The nerves just get confused.”

Doctors said the condition can be treated with medication, and it’s not life threatening. They said Lewis had felt lightheaded at times during the past couple of months.

Lewis, who appeared with his wife and the doctors, seemed relaxed and relieved.

“I’m just glad it’s finally come to an end,” he said.

Arnold Scheller, the team doctor, had indicated last week that Lewis’ career might be over. He said Lewis had “dodged a bullet” in the playoff game. Scheller did not immediately return phone calls seeking comment Monday.

Jim Rattray, a spokesman for New England Baptist, said the hospital couldn’t comment on the conclusions reached at Brigham and Women’s.