Dictionary

spiral fracture See fracture, torsion.

spiral CAT scan A specialized computerized axial tomography (CAT) scan technique that involves continuous movement of the patient through the scanner with the ability to scan faster and with high definition of internal structures. Spiral CAT scanning permits greater visualization of blood vessels and internal tissues, such as those within the chest cavity, than regular…

spine 1 The column of bone known as the vertebral column that surrounds and protects the spinal cord. The spine can be categorized according to the level of the body: cervical spine (neck), thoracic spine (upper and middle back), and lumbar spine (lower back). See also vertebral column. 2 Any short prominence of bone. For…

spinal tap See lumbar puncture.

spinal stenosis Narrowing of the spinal canal. Spinal stenosis is most commonly caused by degeneration of the discs between the vertebrae. The result is compression of the nerve roots or spinal cord by bony spurs or soft tissues, such as discs, in the spinal canal. This most commonly occurs in the low back (lumbar spine)…

spinal nerve One of the nerves that originates in the spinal cord. There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves: 8 cervical nerves, 12 thoracic nerves, 5 lumbar nerves, 5 sacral nerves, and 1 coccygeal nerve.

spinal fusion A surgical procedure in which two or more of the vertebrae in the spine are united together so that motion no longer occurs between them. Spinal fusion may be done to treat a number of conditions, including scoliosis, deformity, fracture, and disc disease. Bone grafts are usually placed around the section of the…

spinal cord The major column of nerve tissue that is connected to the brain and lies within the vertebral canal and from which the spinal nerves emerge. Thirty-one pairs of spinal nerves originate in the spinal cord: 8 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral, and 1 coccygeal. The spinal cord and the brain constitute…

spinal column See vertebral column.

spina bifida occulta A bony defect in the vertebral column that causes a cleft in that column. The cleft remains covered by skin. Treatment is usually not required.

spina bifida cystica See meningomyelocele.

spina bifida A major birth defect and a type of neural tube defect that involves an opening in the vertebral column caused by the failure of the neural tube to close properly during embryonic development. (The neural tube is the structure in the developing embryo that gives rise to the brain and spinal cord.) Because…