Chapter 10 Diagnostic & Treatment Procedures Flashcards
An image technique that uses a combination of radio waves and a strong magnetic field to create signals that are sent to a computer & converted into images of any plane through the body. Are important neuroimaging tools b/c they facilitate the examination of the soft tissue structures of the brain & spinal cord.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
An imaging technique that uses thin, fan shaped x-ray beam to produce multiple cross-sectional views of the body. Are important neuroimaging tools b/c they facilitate the examination of the soft tissue structures of the brain & spinal cord.
Computed tomography
Detects changes in blood flow in the brain when the patient is asked to perform a specific task. This gives a clear picture of the brain tissue relevant to accomplishing this task.
Functional MRI
An ultrasound study of the carotid artery that is performed to detect plaque buildup in the artery to predict or diagnose an ischemic stroke.
carotid ultrasonography
The use of ultrasound imaging to create a detailed visual image of the brain for diagnostic purposes.
echoencephalography
The process of recording the electrical activity of the brain through the use of electrodes attached to the scalp. This electrical activity may also be displayed on a monitor as brain waves.
electroencephalography [The resulting record is an electroencephalogram.]
A radiographic study of the spinal cord after the injection of a contrast medium through a lumbar puncture.
myelography [The resulting record is a myelogram.]
The process of obtaining a sample of cerebrospinal fluid by inserting a needle into the subarachnoid space of the lumbar region to withdraw fluid. Changes in the composition of the cerebrospinal fluid can be an indication of injury, infection or disease.
lumbar puncture, aka spinal tap
A medication that depresses the central nervous system and usually produces sleep.
hypnotic
Medication that prevents siezures such as those associated with epilepsy.
anticonvulsant
A class of drugs whose major action is a calming or depressed effect on the central nervous system.
barbiturates [Amobarbital is a barbiturate used as a sedative & hypnotic. Phenobarbital is a barbiturate used as a sedative and as an anticonvulsant.]
Medication that depresses the central nervous system to produce calm and diminished responsiveness w/out producing sleep.
sedative [Sedation is the effect produced by a sedative.]
The absence of normal sensation, especially sensitive to pain, that is induced by the administration of an anesthetic agent.
anesthesia
Medication used to induce anesthesia - may be topical, local, regional, or general.
anesthetic
Regional anesthesia produced by injecting medication into the epidural space of the lumbar or sacral region of the spine. When administered during childbirth, it numbs the nerves from the uterus and birth passage w/o stopping labor.
epidural anesthesia
Type of anesthesia that involves the total loss of body sensation & consciousness induced by anesthetic agents administered primarily by inhalation or intravenous injection.
general anesthesia
Type of anesthesia that causes the loss of sensation in a limited area by injecting an anesthetic solution near that area.
local anesthesia
Type of anesthesia that causes a temporary interruption of nerve conduction, is produced by injecting an anesthetic solution near the nerves to be blocked.
regional anesthesia
Regional anesthesia produced by injecting medication into the subarachnoid. As with epidural anesthesia, the patient remains conscious. This anesthesia provides numbness from the toes to the waste or lower chest.
spinal anesthesia
Type of anesthesia that numbs only the tissue surfaces and is applied as a liquid, ointment or spray.
topical anesthesia
A neurosurgical procedure used in the treatment of dystonia, tremors, and Parkinson’s disease. A device to stimulate the brain with mild electrical signals is implanted in the brain & is connected to a stimulator implanted near the collar bone. Dystonia is the impairment of voluntary muscle movement.
deep brain stimulation
A type of radiation treatment for brain tumors performed w/out a knife or an incision. The surgeon uses gamma radiation to destroy diseased tissue while preserving the healthy tissue around the tumor. Gamma radiation, which is characterized by high energy & a short wavelength, is also used in nuclear medicine.
gamma knife surgery
A procedure in which small amounts of electric current is passed through the brain, deliberately triggering a brief seizure in order to reverse symptoms of certain mental illnesses.
electroconvulsive therapy
Exposure to daylight or specific wavelengths of light in order to counteract seasonal affective disorder (SAD).
light therapy
The surgical removal of a lobe of an organ. Surgical removal of a portion of the brain to treat brain cancer or seizure disorders that cannot be controlled with medication.
lobectomy
A surgical incision into the thalamus. This procedure, which destroys brain cells, is primarily performed to quiet the tremors of Parkinson’s disease.
thalamotomy
The surgical repair of a nerve or nerves.
neuroplasty
Surgically suturing together the ends of a severed nerve.
neurorrhaphy
The surgical division or dissection (cutting) of a nerve.
neurotomy
