This
glossary is a compilation of terms that are commonly found in relation to
Chiari. It is not intended to be a complete glossary, but it is a good
start. While we have strived to be as accurate as can, some medical terms
are ambiguous and are often used differently by different people. We make
no claim or guarantee as to the accuracy of these definitions. This
glossary is intended for informational purposes only. We strongly
encourage anyone with medical questions to seek professional medical
advice.
acetaminophen -
common, over-the-counter pain reliever; found in Tylenol
acetazolamide - also known
as Diamox; medicine used to lower elevated ICP
acute -
of short duration
afferent pathways - nerve
paths that carry signals from the periphery - like the hand - to the
spinal cord and brain
allodynia - pain in
response to something that should not cause pain, like a light touch
analgesia - absence of pain
in response to something that should be painful
analgesic - a drug that
relieves pain
anterior - at or near the
front of something
antiemetic - drug used to
control nausea and vomiting
apnea -
temporary stop in breathing, sleep apnea
arachnoid - middle-layer of
the the membranes which cover the brain and spinal cord
aspiration - act of
inhaling
asymptomatic - having no
symptoms
ataxia -
loss of coordination and balance due to nerve damage; trouble walking
atrophy - wasting away,
withering
audiometric - having to
dear with hearing tests
autologous - derived, or
taken, from a person's own body
axial -
along the centerline, in the case of the human body, along the neck or
spine
basilar invagination -
condition, sometimes associated with Chiari, where the C2 vertebra is
displaced upward, potentially compressing the brainstem
benign -
not dangerous to your health
bovine -
derived from a cow or bull
brainstem - the lowest part
of the brain which connects with the spinal cord and controls automatic
functions such as breathing and swallowing
cadaver - a dead body;
corpse
cardiac - relating to the
heart
case
study - type of research
which focuses on one subject, or person, as opposed to a group of subjects
caudal -
towards the tail, in the case of CSF flow, from the skull to the spine
causalgia - a constant,
burning type pain
central canal - very center
of the spinal cord, so named because it starts as a hollow tube which
closes in most people as they age
central nervous system -
the brain and spinal cord
central pain - abnormal
pain arising from damage to the central nervous system
central sleep apnea - sleep
apnea due to a delay in the nerve signal from the brain to breathe
cephalad - towards the
head, in the case of CSF flow, from the spine to the skull
cephalgia - headache
cerebellar tonsils -
portion of the cerebellum located at the bottom, so named because of their
shape
cerebellum - part of the
brain located at the bottom of the skull, near the opening to the spinal
area; important for muscle control, movement, and balance
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) -
clear liquid in the brain and spinal cord, acts as a shock absorber
cervical - the upper part
of the spine; the neck area
Chiari
malformation (CM) -
condition where the cerebellar tonsils are displaced out of the skull area
into the spinal area, causing compression of brain tissue and disruption
of CSF flow
Chiari
II - more severe form of
malformation which involves descent of parts of the brainstem and is
usually associated with Spina Bifida
chronic - of long duration,
long lasting
cine
MRI - type of MRI which can
show CSF flow
cisterna magna - CSF filled
space below the cerebellum
Cobb
Angle - technique used to
measure the severity of a spinal curve - in degrees - from spinal images
Color
Doppler Ultrasound (CDU) -
type of ultrasound which can detect flow of blood and CSF
complete spinal cord injury -
type of spinal injury where there is no feeling or motor control below the
level of injury
control group - in a study,
a group of subjects who are used as a basis for comparison; the control
group is usually healthy, or does not receive a treatment that the
experimental group receives
cranial nerve - one of 12
pairs of nerves that originate in the brain as opposed to the spinal cord
craniocervical junction -
the area where the skull and spine meet
decompression surgery -
common term for any of several variations of a surgical procedure to
alleviate a Chiari malformation
diabetic neuropathy - nerve
damage as a result of diabetes
displaced fracture - type
of fracture where the two parts of broken bone are separated, or
displaced, from each other
dorsal -
referring to the back of something, can also refer to the top
dorsal
horn - also known as the
posterior column, part of the spinal cord located in the back part of the
cord where many afferent nerve pathways are located, note there is a right
and left dorsal horn
double
blind - scientific
technique used to eliminate bias in a study, where neither the study
participant nor the experimenter (doctor) knows which of two treatments
the participant is receiving
Dr.
Max van Manen - scientist
who developed a phenomenological research method which is widely used
dura -
thick outer covering of the brain and spinal cord; beneath the dura are
the arachnoid and the pia
dural
scoring - surgical
technique where a series of cuts are made into the dura, but the dura is
not completely opened
duraplasty - surgical
technique where a patch is sewn into the dura
dysesthesia - an
unpleasant, or painful, response to a normal stimulus; for example pain
from being touched lightly
dysphagia - trouble
swallowing
ectopia - abnormal
position; in the case of Chiari, the cerebellar tonsils
elastic - something that
returns to it's original shape after being stretched, compressed, or
deformed; a rubber band is elastic
etiology - the cause of a
disease
foramen magnum - large
opening at the base of the skull, through which the spinal cord passes and
joins with the brain
fracture - break in a bone
fusion -
surgical procedure where vertebra are joined together using bone grafts
and often instruments such as rods, screws, etc.
gastroesophageal reflux (GER) -
reflux of stomach contents into the esophagus
graft -
material, or tissue, surgically implanted into a body part to replace or
repair a defect
hermeneutic - interpreted
hydrocephalus - condition
where there is an abnormal collection of CSF in the skull area
hydromyelia - cyst in, or
swelling of, the central canal; sometimes used interchangeably with
syringomyelia
hyperesthesia - abnormal
sensitivity to stimulation
hypertension - abnormally
high blood pressure
hypopnea - slow or shallow
breathing
hypoesthesia - decreased
sensitivity to sensation
hypotension - abnormally
low blood pressure
ibuprofen - common,
over-the-counter, anti-inflammatory pain reliever; found in Motrin
ICP -
intracranial pressure; pressure of the CSF inside the skull
idiopathic - due to an
unknown cause
idiopathic growth hormone deficiency -
abnormally low level of growth hormones due to an unknown cause
Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH) -
condition where ICP is elevated for unknown reasons; see other side bar
incomplete spinal cord injury -
type of spinal injury where there is some feeling or motor control below
the level of the injury
Klippel-Feil syndrome -
congenital condition where 2 or more cervical vertebra are fused together;
often associated with other neurological conditions
laminectomy - surgical
removal of part (the bony arch) of one or more vertebrae
lumbar -
the lower part of the spine
lumbar
puncture (LP) - procedure
where a hollow needle is inserted into the spinal area (near the base) in
order to measure/relieve pressure or withdraw CSF for testing
meninges - the three
membranes that cover the brain and spinal cord (singular: meninx).
meningitis - inflammation
of the meninges, usually due to a bacterial infection but sometimes from
viral, protozoan, or other causes (in some cases the cause cannot be
determined).
meningocele - protrusion of
the membranes that cover the spine and part of the spinal cord through a
bone defect in the vertebral column.
metopic - relating to the
forehead or front part of the skull
MRI -
Magnetic Resonance Imaging; diagnostic device which uses a strong magnetic
field to create images of the body's internal parts
narcotic - class of drugs
derived from the opium plant - or created synthetically for the same
effect; used as pain-killers
neurofibromatosis - set of
genetic disorders in which tumors grow on different types of nerves, bone
and skin; type 1 is characterized by spots on the skin
neuropathic - having to do
with damage to a nerve
neuropathic pain - pain due
to nerve damage, often severe and often described as burning
neurotologist - an
ear-nose-throat medical specialist who obtains an additional subspecialty
in conditions of the ear
nociceptive - pain
associated with a painful stimulus, such as a joint problem
normative - normal;
statistically, the results of testing a large body of people
NSAID -
non-steroidal anti-inflammatory; class of pain relieving drugs which
includes ibuprofen, naproxen (Alleve), and others
nystagmus - involuntary,
rapid eye movements
obstructive sleep apnea -
sleep apnea due to an obstruction in the throat
occipital - relating to the
back part of the head
ORIF -
open reduction and internal fixation; surgical technique to correct spinal
injuries where instruments, such as rods, screws, and plates, are used
opioid -
narcotic
oropharyngeal - having to
do with the throat or throat area
otology - scientific study
and treatment of the ear
otolaryngologist - doctor
who specializes in the ear, nose, and throat
PND -
painful neuropathic disorder; any painful disorder where the pain is
caused by nerve damage; such as diabetic neuropathy or post-herpetic
neuralgia
papilledema -
swelling/bruising of the optic nerve due to increased ICP
paresthesia - abnormal
sensation, such as burning
pericardium - tissue
surrounding the heart
pericranial - from the
periosteum, dense connective tissue which covers the skull
peripheral pain - pain
arising from the outer - or peripheral - nervous system, the ends of the
nerves
phase
contrast MRI - type of MRI
which can measure the velocity of CSF
phenomenological - relating
to experiences; phenomenological research emphasizes the importance of how
people experience and feel things
photophobia - sensitivity,
sometimes painful, to light
placebo - a fake medicine -
which has no effect - used in scientific studies as a control
polysomnography - studying
physical measures - such as breathing - during sleep in a controlled
environment
post-herpetic neuralgia -
painful nerve damage as a result of "shingles" (herpes zoster)
post-traumatic syringomyelia -
syringomyelia which develops after a spinal cord injury
posterior - at or near the
back of something
posterior fossa -
depression on the inside of the back of the skull, near the base, where
the cerebellum is normally situated
prospective - type of study
where the experiment is designed before the data is collected
pseudotumor cerebri -
another name for IIH; so named because the symptoms mimic the presence of
a tumor
qualitative research - type
of research which uses words and descriptions as data
quantitative research -
type of research which uses numbers for data and statistics to analyze
results
radicular - relating to the
roots; in the case of radicular pain, damage to a nerve root can actually
cause pain at the end of the nerve
radiograph - another name
for an X-ray; diagnostic machine which uses radiation to create an
internal image of the body
randomized - technique used
in a scientific study where participants are randomly assigned to one of
two groups; used to control the effects of age, gender, etc. on the study
outcome
refractory - not responsive
to treatment
retrospective - type of
scientific study which looks back in time, often at medical records
rigid -
something that isn't flexible and won't bend
scoliosis - abnormal
curvature of the spine
shunt -
a surgically implanted tube used to divert, or drain, CSF
sleep
apnea - disruption of
breathing during sleep which lasts longer than 10 seconds
spina
bifida - myelodysplasia;
birth defect where part of the spinal cord develops outside of the body
spontaneous venous pulsations (SVP) -
periodic changes in size of veins in the retina (in the back of the eye);
absence indicates elevated ICP
stenosis - narrowing or
blockage of a passage
stent -
tube used to support an opening in the body
stridor - noisy breathing
which indicates a problem
subarachnoid space (SAS) -
space underneath the arachnoid, but above the actual brain and spinal
tissue, which contains the cerebrospinal fluid
suboccipital craniectomy -
surgical removal of part of the skull, or cranium, in the back of the
head, near the base
syringomyelia (SM) -
neurological condition where a fluid filled cyst forms in the spinal cord
syrinx -
fluid filled cyst in the spinal cord
tachycardia - rapid heart
beat
thoracic - relating to the
middle part of the spine, or chest area
tinnitus - ringing in the
ears
tonsillar herniation -
displacement of the cerebellar tonsils out of the skull; usually measured
in mm below the bottom of the skull
tonsillar manipulation -
surgically removing part, or all, of the cerebellar tonsils
trachea - the windpipe;
tube which carries air to the lungs
ultrasound - imaging
technique which uses sound waves to create pictures of internal organs and
body parts
Valsalva - straining, a
Valsalva headache is one brought on by straining
velocity - how fast
something moves in a certain direction
ventral - referring to the
front of something; can also refer to the bottom
ventricle - a cavity in an
organ, the fourth ventricle is a space in the brain where CSF collects
ventriculo-peritoneal shunt -
neurosurgical procedure where a tube-like device is inserted into a
ventricle to divert and drain CSF into the peritoneal space in the abdomen
vertebra - segment of the
spinal column, noted as region plus number (C = cervical, T = thoracic, L
= Lumbar)
vestibular - relating to
the balance system; more specifically to the vestibule of the inner ear
voxel -
the smallest distinguishable unit of volume; like a 3D pixel
