Chapter 17 Definitions

Question 1

nucleus pulposus

Answer 1

the gelatinous middle of an intervertebral disk

Question 2

osteophyte

Answer 2

a branching bony outgrowth

Question 3

diagnosis

Answer 3

a physician’s determination of the nature and scope of an injury or illness

Question 4

foramen

Answer 4

an opening (eg, in a bone) to allow the passage of blood vessels or nerves

Question 5

radicular

Answer 5

distally radiating pain caused by spinal nerve root involvement

Question 6

lordosis

Answer 6

the forward curvature of the cervical and lumbar spine

Question 7

electromyogram

Answer 7

a recording of the electrical charges associated with the contraction of a muscle

Question 8

occiput

Answer 8

the posterior base of the skull

Question 9

meningitis

Answer 9

inflammation of the membranes of the brain or spinal cord

Question 10

functional scoliosis

Answer 10

lateral curvature of the spinal column in the frontal plane caused as the spinal column attempts to compensate for postural deficits such as leg length discrepancy. Functional scoliosis is also known as protective scoliosis

Question 11

structural scoliosis

Answer 11

lateral curvature of the spinal column caused by malformed vertebrae and/or intervertebra discs

Question 12

spondylolisthesis

Answer 12

forward slippage of the lower lumbar vertebra ont he vertebra below

Question 13

spondylolysis

Answer 13

the breaking down of a vertebral structure