Glossary

11C-alpha methyl-L-tryptophan

Anaplasic astrocytoma

atlantoaxial rotatory fixation – This refers to a rotational dislocation of the normal alignment of the first vertebra of the spine (C! or Atlas) from the second vertebra (C2 or Axis) with the dislocation being of such a severity that it will not spontaneously relocate back into a normal alignment.  In such cases when the head is maximally rotated to the opposite side the rotational malalignment of C1 on C2 is unchanged or “fixed”.

A mnemonic for how to assess and treat a critically ill or injured patient.  A=airway (clear airway). B=breathing (confirm patient breathing or artificially establish respiration). C=circulation (confirm pulse, elevate legs to augment circulation of blood to brain). D=disability (establish level of consciousness). E=exposure (expose skin to inventory injuries then support normal body temperature).

Arterial Blood Gas – This is a test that measures the amount of oxygen (PaO2), carbon dioxide (PaCO2) and the acidity of the arteries blood. It requires obtaining blood from the artery. The test is used to access the effectiveness of respiration, blood and the body’s metabolism.

referring to outside of a body part that contains a channel or cavity or an object or condition not next to a lumen of a tubular organ or part.

Anterior cerebral artery

A Direct Aspiration, First Pass Technique.  A endovascular procedure using a large-bore, aspiration catheter to remove a blood clot from a large vessel in the brain.

Apparent diffusion coefficient – A measure of the diffusion of water molecules within tissue, commonly calculated using MRI. It is used to quantify the degree of signal abnormality on Diffusion MRI. Variations in its value can reflect several mechanisms of change in the tissue being imaged and have been correlated to disease states in brain tissue.

Antidiuretic hormone (AKA vasopressin) – A hormone secreted by the pituitary gland that is responsible for increasing water absorption by the kidney. It also increases the resistance to blood flow in the peripheral vascualr system with a resulting increase in blood pressure.