Glossary of Terms
A B C
D E
F G H
I J K
L M N
O P Q
R S
T U V W
X Y Z
Annulus Fibrosus – The outer, fibrous,
ring–like portion of an intervertebral disc.
Apical Vertebra – The most rotated vertebra
in a curve; the most deviated vertebra from the patient's vertical axis.
Arthrodesis – The fusion of bones across a
joint space, thereby limiting or eliminating movement. It may occur
spontaneously or as a result of a surgical procedure, such as fusion of the
spine.
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B (no listings for B)
Centrum – The body of a vertebra.
Cervical – The neck region of the spine
containing the first seven vertebrae.
Chemonucleolysis – A treatment of an
intervertebral disc that consists of an injection of chymopapain, a drug that
dissolves part of the disc.
Cobb Angle Measurement – Calculated by
selecting the upper and lower end vertebrae in a curve. Erecting perpendiculars
to their transverse axes. At their point of intersection, the angle is measured
to indicate the curve's angle.
Coccyx – The region of the spine below the
sacrum. It is also known as the tailbone.
Compensatory Curve – A curve, which can be
structural, above or below a major curve that tends to maintain normal body
alignment.
Compression – The act of pressing together –
refers to the loss of vertebral body height either anteriorly, posteriorly or
both.
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Disc (Intervertebral)
– The tough, elastic structure that is between the bodies of spinal vertebrae.
The disc consists of an outer annulus fibrosus enclosing an inner nucleus
pulposus.
Disc Degeneration – The loss of the
structural and functional integrity of the disc.
Discectomy – Surgical removal of part or all
of an intervertebral disc.
Distraction – Excessive space between
fracture fragments or vertebral segments due to interposed tissue or, most
often, axial forces.
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End Vertebra – i.
The most cephalad (i.e. toward the head) vertebra of a curve, whose superior
surface tilts maximally toward the concavity of the curve. ii. The most caudad
(i.e. toward the coccyx) vertebra whose inferior surface tilts maximally toward
the concavity of the curve.
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Facet – A
posterior structure of a vertebra which articulates with a facet of an adjacent
vertebra to form a facet joint that allows motion in the spinal column. Each
vertebra has two superior and two inferior facets.
Facetectomy – Excision of a facet.
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G (no listings for G)
Herniated Disc – Extrusion of part of the nucleus pulposus
material through a defect in the annulus fibrosus.
Hook – For spinal applications, a metallic
medical device used to connect spinal structures to a rod.
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Intervertebral Disc
– See Disc.
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J (no listings for J)
Kyphosis – An
abnormal increase in the normal kyphotic curvature of the thoracic spine.
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Lamina – An
anatomical portion of a vertebra. For each vertebra, two lamina connect the
pedicles to the spinous process as part of the neural arch.
Laminectomy – An operation for removal of
part or all of the lamina of a vertebra, commonly performed in order to be able
to remove an intervertebral disc protrusion or to decompress a nerve root.
Lordosis – An abnormal increase in the
normal lordotic curvature of the lumbar spine.
Lumbago – A non–medical term signifying pain
in the lumbar region.
Lumbar – The lower part of the spine between
the thoracic region and the sacrum. The lumbar spine consists of five vertebrae.
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M (no listings for M)
Nucleus Pulposus
– The semi–gelatinous tissue in the center of an intervertebral disc. It is
surrounded and contained by the annulus fibrosus which prevents this material
from protruding outside the disc space.
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Orthopaedics
(also Orthopedics) – The medical specialty involved in the preservation and
restoration of function of the musculoskeletal system that includes treatment of
spinal disorders and peripheral nerve lesions.
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Pedicle – The
part of each side of the neural arch of a vertebra. It connects the lamina with
the vertebral body.
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Q (no listings for Q)
Rib Hump – The
prominence of the ribs on the convexity of a spinal curvature, usually due to
vertebral rotation best exhibited on forward bending.
Rod – In spinal applications, a slender,
metal implant which is used to immobilize and align the spine.
Rotation – The movement of one vertebra to
another about its normal or abnormal coronal axis.
Ruptured Disc –
See Herniated Disc.
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Sacrum – A part
of the spine that is also part of the pelvis. It articulates with the ilia at
the sacroiliac joints and articulates with the lumbar spine at the lumbosacral
joint. The sacrum consists of five fused vertebrae that have no intervertebral
discs.
Scoliosis – Lateral (sideways) curvature of
the spine.
Spinal Stenosis – Reduction in the diameter
of the spinal canal due to new bone formation which may result in pressure on
the spinal cord or nerve roots.
Spinal Disc –
See Disc (Intervertebral).
Spinal Column –
See Spine.
Spinal Fusion – A surgical procedure to
permanently join bone by interconnecting two or more vertebrae in order to
prevent motion (see Arthrodesis).
Spinal Canal – The bony channel that is
formed by the intravertebral foramen of the vertebrae and in which contains the
spinal cord and nerve roots.
Spinal Cord – The longitudinal cord of nerve
tissue that is enclosed in the spinal canal. It serves not only as a pathway for
nervous impulses to and from the brain, but as a center for carrying out and
coordinating many reflex actions independently of the brain.
Spine – The flexible
bone column extending from the base of the skull to the tailbone. It is made up
of 33 bones, known as vertebrae. The first 24 vertebrae are separated by discs
known as intervertebral discs, and bound together by ligaments and muscles. Five
vertebrae are fused together to form the sacrum and 4 vertebrae are fused
together to form the coccyx. The spine is also referred to as the vertebral
column, spinal column, or backbone.
Spondylitis – Inflammation of vertebrae.
Spondylolisthesis – A defect in the
construct of bone between the superior and inferior facets with varying degrees
of displacement so the vertebra with the defect and the spine above that
vertebra are displaced forward in relationship to the vertebrae below. It is
usually due to a developmental defect or the result of a fracture.
Spondylolysis – Displacement of one vertebra
over another with fracture of a posterior portion of the vertebra. A defect in
the neural arch between the superior and inferior facets of vertebrae without
separation at the defect and therefore no displacement of the vertebrae. It may
be unilateral or bilateral and is usually due to a developmental defect but may
be secondary to a fracture.
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Thoracic – The
chest level region of the spine that is located between the cervical and lumbar
vertebrae. It consists of 12 vertebrae which serve as attachment points for
ribs.
Translation – Vertebral body displacement –
can describe lateral, anterior or posterior displacement.
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U (no listings for U)
Vertebra – One
of the 33 bones of the spinal column. A cervical, thoracic, or lumbar vertebra
has a cylindrically–shaped body anteriorly and a neural arch posteriorly
(composed primarily of the laminae and pedicles as well as the other structures
in the posterior aspect of the vertebra) that protects the spinal cord. The
plural of vertebra is vertebrae.
Vertebral End–Plates – The superior and
inferior plates of cortical bone of the vertebral body adjacent to the
intervertebral disc.
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W (no listings for W)
X (no listings for X)
Y (no listings for Y)
Z (no listings for Z)
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