Section 14: Medical Terminology

Question 1

SCS

Answer 1

Spinal cord stimulation

Question 2

CSF

Answer 2

Cerebrospinal fluid- fluid that bathes the central nervous system and is contained within the subarachnoid space

Question 3

Cervical

Answer 3

Relations to the neck

Question 4

Thoracic

Answer 4

Relating to the thorax (mid back)

Question 5

Lumbar

Answer 5

Relating to the part of the back between the ribs and the pelvis. Commonly called the Low Back

Question 6

Sacrum

Answer 6

Spade shaped bone that articulates to the most Inferior lumbar vertebrae and both pelvic bones

Question 7

Coccyx

Answer 7

Small triangular bone that articulates at the inferior aspect of the sacrum

Question 8

Lordosis

Answer 8

Anteriorly convex curvature of the spine normally found in the cervical and lumbar regions

Question 9

Kyphosis

Answer 9

Posteriorly convex curvature of the spine normally found in the thoracic region

Question 10

Scoliosis

Answer 10

Abnormal lateral and rotational curvature of the spine

Question 11

Anterior (ventral)

Answer 11

Situated or pertaining to the front

Question 12

Posterior (dorsal)

Answer 12

Situated or pertaining to the back

Question 13

Lateral

Answer 13

On the side

Question 14

Medial

Answer 14

Relating to the middle or center

Question 15

Oblique

Answer 15

Deviating from perpendicular

Question 16

AP (AP thoracic Xray)

Answer 16

Relating to xrays taken from the anterior and captured on the posterior

Question 17

Superior

Answer 17

Situated above

Question 18

Inferior

Answer 18

Situated below

Question 19

Epi

Answer 19

Situated in top of or surrounding

I.e. epidural space is that space which surrounds the dura mater

Question 20

Foramen

Answer 20

Hole or opening in bone

I.e. vertebral foramen

Question 21

Parasthesia

Answer 21

A tingling sensation perceived by the brain

Question 22

VAS

Answer 22

(Visual analog scale) an objective measurement of subjective symptoms measured on a scale of 1-10

Question 23

Fluoroscopy

Answer 23

Still or real time Xray imaging used for a variety of interventional procedures (I.e c-arm)

Question 24

Rostural

Answer 24

Towards the head

Question 25

Conus medullaris

Answer 25

The terminal end

Question 26

Caudal

Answer 26

Toward the tail

Question 27

Cauda equina

Answer 27

Literally means horses tail. The bundled nerve roots and spinal nerves extending from the conus medullaris

Question 28

Prone

Answer 28

Face down

Question 29

Supine

Answer 29

Face up

Question 30

Distal

Answer 30

Away from the point of reference

I.e. your hand is distal from your shoulder

Question 31

Proximal

Answer 31

Toward or closer to your point of reference

I.e. your clavicle is proximal to your shoulder compared to the hand

Question 32

Axial

Answer 32

Situated around the axis

Question 33

Axial back pain

Answer 33

Pain situated around the spine

Question 34

Neuropathic pain

Answer 34

Pain emitted from diseased or damaged nervous tissue

Question 35

Nociceptive Pain

Answer 35

Pain caused by acute tissue injury

Question 36

Efferent nerve pathway (motor pathway)

Answer 36

Nerve pathways that carry nerve impulses from the brain to the tissue cells of the body

Question 37

Afferent nerve pathway (sensory pathway)

Answer 37

Nerve pathways that carry nerve impulses from the cells of the body toward the brain

Question 38

Meninges

Answer 38

Tissue consisting of the dura mater (outer most layer), arachnoid mater (middle layer), and pia mater (inner most layer) that serves to protect the central nervous system

Question 39

Subarachnoid space (intra-thecal space)

Answer 39

The space between the arachnoid and pia mater and contains CSF

Question 40

Central nervous system

Answer 40

Essentially the brain and spinal cord proper. Controls the function of every cell, tissue and organ in the body

Question 41

Peripheral nervous system

Answer 41

All nervous tissue other than the brain and spinal cord

Question 42

Autonomic nervous system

Answer 42

Consists of the sympathetic and parasympathetic