Dictionary

brain, fornix of the One of a pair of arching fibrous bands in the brain that connects the two lobes of the cerebrum.

brain, water on the See hydrocephalus.

brain cancer A malignant growth of the brain. See also brain tumor.

brain death The permanent, irreversible cessation of all brain functions. Brain death is not the same thing as a coma or vegetative state. The presence of brain death is legally synonymous with death itself in most US states.

brain freeze A headache that occurs when one puts ice, a cold food, or a chilled beverage in the mouth, chilling the roof of the mouth. Ice cream is by far the most frequent offender. Brain freeze is characterized by a stabbing, aching pain that begins a few seconds after ingestion of something cold. The…

bones of the trunk The 51 trunk bones consist of 26 vertebrae, 24 ribs, and the sternum. The 26 vertebrae comprise 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, and 5 lumbar vertebrae, plus the sacrum and the coccyx. The 24 ribs comprise 14 true ribs, 6 false ribs, and 4 floating ribs. The sternum is the breastbone. Along…

bony syndactyly A condition in which the bones of the fingers or toes are joined together. Bony syndactyly is not the same as cutaneous syndactyly, which only involves webbing of the skin between the digits.

bony tarsus A structure that is made up of seven bones situated between the bones of the lower leg and the metatarsus bones of the feet. The seven bones of the bony tarsus are the calcaneus, talus (astragalus), cuboid, and navicular (scaphoid), plus the first, second, and third cuneiform bones. The bony tarsus contributes to…

booster shot An additional dose of a vaccine needed periodically to “boost” the immune system. For example, a booster shot of the tetanus and diphtheria (Td) vaccine is recommended for adults every 10 years.

borborygmus A gurgling, rumbling, or squeaking noise from the abdomen that is caused by the movement of gas through the bowels. Also known as stomach rumbling. The plural is borborygmi.

borderline personality disorder A personality type characterized by difficulty forming and keeping stable relationships, highly emotional or aggressive behavior, impulsivity, and rapid shifts in values, selfimage, mood, and behavior.

Bornholm disease A viral infection that is most commonly caused by an enterovirus called Coxsackie B. Symptoms include fever, intense abdominal and chest pain, and headache. The chest pain is caused by inflammation of the tissue lining the lungs, and it is typically worsened by breathing or coughing. The illness usually lasts from 3 to…