AVM
(arteriovenous malformation) - an abnormal, congenital tangle of
blood vessels in the brain that is prone to bleeding. This bleeding
can cause symptoms ranging from headaches and seizures to neurologic
catastrophes and even death.
benign - not cancerous, not malignant.
chemotherapy - a treatment that destroys tumor cells through the use of chemicals
injected into the body or taken orally over a period of time.
"conformal"
radiosurgery - shapes the radiation beam to fit the tumor or malformation
perfectly, rather than using the traditional method of multiple circular
beams. Conformal radiosurgery maximizes radiation to the tumor or malformation
and minimizes doses to surrounding healthy tissue.
CNS
(central nervous system) - the brain and spinal cord.
CT (computerized
tomography) - a diagnostic imaging technique in which an x-ray machine
and computer are used to create a detailed picture of the body's tissues
and structures. A dye, or contrast agent, may be injected into the patient
to highlight abnormalities in tissue.
critical
structures - areas in the brain that are responsible for such vital
functions as memory, speech, hearing, sight and movement.
EEG
(electroencephalogram) - a diagnostic procedure in which special
pieces of material are placed on the scalp or fine needles are placed
in the brain to record electrical activity in the brain.
glioma -arising from the supportive tissue of the brain, they are the most
common primary brain tumors. Astrocytomas, ependymomas, oligodendrogliomas
and tumors with mixtures of two or more of these cell types are the
most common gliomas.
Image
Guided Surgery (IGS) - provides the neurosurgeon with the ability
during surgery to see the brain in three dimensions and to accurately
pinpoint a location in the brain or spinal cord with the aid of computed
tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR).
inaccessible
tumor - a tumor that cannot be removed surgically because its location
creates a high risk of damage to the nervous system or vital areas of
the brain.
lumbar
puncture (also known as a spinal tap) - a procedure used to withdraw
a small sample of cerebrospinal fluid, which can then be examined for
abnormal cells.
malignant - cancerous.
meningioma - a brain tumor that grows in the meninges, a thin layer of tissue covering
the brain and spinal cord.
metastatic
tumor - a tumor caused by cancer cells that originate elsewhere
in the body and travel to the current site through the blood stream.
MRI
(magnetic resonance imaging) - an imaging technique that uses a
magnetic field and radio waves (rather than x-rays) to distinguish between
healthy and diseased tissues.
PET
(positron emission tomography) - an imaging technique that provides
a picture of brain activity by measuring levels of injected glucose
sugar "labeled" with a radioactive marker.
primary
brain tumor - a tumor that originates in the brain.
primitive
neuroectodermal tumors - also known as neuroblastomas, they usually
affect children, adolescents or young adults. Scientists believe these
tumors arise from primitive cells that remain after early development
of the brain and spinal cord.
radiosurgery - a treatment that attacks a tumor with beams of radiation.
stereotactic
radiosurgery - radiation therapy that precisely locates the tumor
through use of a three-dimensional frame of reference.
