A-B | C-D | E-G | H-K | L-M | N-P | R-U | V-Z


E

ELECTROCARDIOGRAM (ECG or EKG) – A diagnostic test that records the electrical activity of the heart, shows abnormal rhythms, and detects heart muscle stress.

ELECTRODE – A conductor through which electrical current enters or leaves.

ELECTROENCEPHALOGRAM (EEG) – A diagnostic test using metal discs (electrodes) places on a person’s scalp to pick up electrical impulses.  These electrical signals are printed out are brain waves.  The EEG helps diagnose seizures disorders.

ELECTROMYOGRAPHY (EMG) – A method of recording the electrical currents generated in a muscle during its contraction.

ENDOSCOPE – A medical device for viewing internal body structures or cavities. It is usually comprised of fiber optic tubes and video display instrument.

ENDOSCOPIC DISCECTOMY:  A minimally invasive method of discectomy done with an endoscope, a special device that allows visualization of the disc from the inside.  (See Discectomy.)

ENDOSCOPY – The use of an illuminated optical instrument (endoscope) to visualize the interior of the body and its organs.

ENDOVASCULAR – Within the blood vessels.

ENDOVASCULAR EMBOLIZATION – See Coil Embolization.

ESSENTIAL TREMOR – Essential tremor is a neurological disorder characterized by shaking of hands (and sometimes other parts of the body including the head), evoked by intentional movements. The incidence is unknown, but it is the most common type of tremor and also the most commonly observed movement disorder.

EPIDURAL HEMATOMA – A blood clot between the dura mater and the inside of the skull.

EXTRADURAL TUMOR – The most common spinal tumor, it occurs outside of the protective sheath of the spinal cord. It usually involves the bones and cartilage of the vertebrae. Most extradural tumors are metastatic — they spread to the spinal column from tumors that arise in other areas, most commonly the lungs, breasts, prostate, and kidneys.

F

FLOROSCOPIC GUIDANCE – Use of radiological imaging to assist neurosurgeons in the precise placement of instrumentation for invasive procedures.

FORAMINA – Refers to one or more foramen, or holes, in the vertebral arch.

FRAME-BASED STEREOTACTIC SURGERY – Refers to a stereotactic surgery that utilizes a rigid metal frame fixed to a patient’s skull to immobilize the head. The head is then imaged by CT, MRI or angiography scans to identify the tumor in relationship to the external frame. Since both the frame and the tumor are seen in the images, the distance can be measured in three dimensions. The advantage is the surgeon can continuously adjust to the target coordinates, especially for deep tumors within the brain that may be difficult and dangerous to approach by an open operation.

FRAMELESS STEREOTACTIC SURGERY – See Image-Guided Stereotactic Surgery.

FRONTAL LOBE – The frontal lobe, or the front part of the brain, has three general divisions: the prefrontal cortex, the premotor cortex, and the motor cortex. Problems with the frontal lobe can result in changes in movement, intelligence and behavior.

FUSION – See Spinal Fusion.

FUSIFORM ANEURYSM – An aneurysm without a stem.

G

GAMMA KNIFE – An advanced form of stereotactic or focused radiosurgery for benign processes and metastatic brain tumors that were previously considered inoperable or very high risk for conventional brain surgery. The "knife" is formed by 201 intersecting beams of gamma radiation that deliver a concentrated dose to a precise area of the brain. Gamma Knife is not intended to replace conventional neurosurgery, but it is an effective additional tool, which may serve as a supplement to standard neurosurgical treatment or as the preferred course of treatment when traditional surgery is not appropriate.

GENETIC PREDISPOSITON – The inherited genetic pattern that may make some individuals more prone to certain conditions than others with a different genetic makeup.

GLASGOW COMA SCALE (GCS) – The most widely used system of classifying the severity of head injuries or other neurological diseases.

GLIA – (Also called Neuro Glia) The major support cells of the brain. These cells are involved in the nutrition and maintenance of the nerve cells.

GLIOMA – The most common type of primary brain tumors that arise from the glial cells, or supportive tissue of the brain.

GRAY or GREY MATTER – Otherwise known as the cerebral cortex, or the "thinking matter" of the brain, this brain tissue is composed of nerve cells and blood vessels. It appears grayish because of the relatively high proportion of nerve cell nuclei that occur there. This is in contrast to white matter that consists mainly of axons.