| Hydrocephalus | Abnormal, over filling of the spinal fluid pockets (ventricles) in the brain. Can cause symptoms such as headache, balance problems, incontinence and memory problems. |
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| Hydrosyringomyelia | a fluid cavity in the spinal cord. May also be referred to as syrinx, or syringomyelia. |
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| Incidental Finding | a finding that is unexpected, or unrelated to symptoms. May refer to a person who has a finding on MRI, but has no symptoms. |
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| Laminectomy | removal of the roof bone (or posterior arch) of a vertebra. |
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| Limb ataxia | inability to maintain fluid movement of the arm or leg. Inability to touch finger to nose properly. |
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| Lumbar | referring to the lower most part of the spine, the low back. |
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| Meninges | the 3 layers of covering that surround the brain and spinal cord. Consists of the pia mater, the arachnoid, and the dura mater. |
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| Meningitis | inflammation of the meninges. May be due to bacterial or viral infection. |
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| Myelogram | special radiology study that involves injecting contrast dye into the spinal canal and taking x-rays of where the dye travels. The test is often followed by a CAT scan of the area. The test is often done to determine if there is blockage of flow or a nerve root that is being compressed. This test is less commonly used than MRI. |
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| Myelomeningocele | herniation or protrusion of the spinal cord through a defect in development of the neural tube- seen in infants. Often associated with Chiari type II. |
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| Nystagmus | abnormal bobbing of the eyes. Can be seen when looking to the side or up and down. |
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| Parasthesia | abnormal sensation in the extremity. |
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| Pericranium | a muscle layer between the skull and scalp. |
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| Periosteum | a muscle layer between the skull and scalp. (Called pericranium when on the skull). |
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| Posterior Fossa | A general term for the back area of the brain. This is where the brainstem, cerebellum and cerebellar tonsils lie. |
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| Shunt | small, soft plastic tube that is used to drain fluid. |
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| Sleep apnea | to stop breathing intermittently when sleeping. Symptom can be described as waking up short of breath or gasping for air. |
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| Syncope | Spells of passing out, or fainting (loss of consciousness). Different from a seizure. |
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| Syringomyelia | the condition of having an abnormal fluid cavity in the spinal cord |
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| Syrinx | abnormal fluid cavity in the spinal cord |
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| Tethered cord | When the spinal cord becomes stuck to the surrounding structures |
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| Thoracic | refers to the area from the shoulder blades, through the ribs, to about the beltline. |
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| Tinnitus | ringing in the ears. |
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| Tonsillar ectopia | a small amount of hang down of the tonsil tissue of the cerebellum. |
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| Tonsils | a small, often rounded mass of tissue. There are several tonsils in the body, including in the throat, in the intestine, or in the brain. In reference to Chiari, indicates the tissue tucked behind the cerebellum that protrudes downward, causing a plug effect. |
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