Our Services Division of Pediatric Neurosurgery  Terms and Definitions
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Terms and Definitions

  • Anaplasia – another word for malignant cells

  • Angiogenesis Inhibitor – a new approach being investigated to stop the growth of brain tumors by preventing them from growing new blood vessels

  • Apoptosis – a new approach to cancer treatment that involves getting malignant cells to self-destruct more quickly

  • Central Nervous System – the control center for your body and your mind. It is made up of two parts: your brain and your spinal cord.

  • Chiari Malformations - abnormalities of the brain at the junction of the skull with the spine

  • Congenital Disorders of the Nervous System – problems with the CNS that existed before or occurred during birth

  • Epilepsy – recurrent seizures caused by a sudden change in the electrical activity of the brain

  • Functional MRI – a faster type of MRI that lets neurosurgeons see corresponding parts of the brain “light up” when a patient performs a task (like speaking)—can be used for pre-operative mapping of the brain

  • Hydrocephalus – excess water on the brain caused by a blockage or a malfunction in the production of cerebrospinal fluid

  • Somatosensory Evoked Potentials (SSEP) – a special technique surgeons use before surgery to measure how well various areas of the brain are working

  • Spina Bifida – a neural tube defect that happens in the first month of pregnancy when the spinal column doesn’t close completely.

  • Spinal Cord Tumor - a tumor on the spine or spinal cord—may be benign or otherwise. Common tumor types include metastatic tumors , chordomas, schwannomas, meningiomas , astrocytomas and ependymomas

  • Spine - The backbone, consisting of 33 segments (vertebrae) that are connected to the neck, chest, waist and lower back, and several bones that form the sacrum and the tailbone

  • Trauma – any wound or injury to the central nervous system that comes from an accident, a birth injury, surgery, etc.