Glossary

Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone (secretion) – a condition where the amount of circulating antiduretic hormone is too high (typically due to its over secretion by the posterior pituitary gland) leading to inappropriate retention of fluids as reflected by hyponatremia.

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome – Sudden death in an infant with no preceding risks factors for death and no explanation fo death at autopsy.

From term sinciput – latin half head. Used to refer to upper half of cranium, commonly the anterior portion of including the forehead.

Small interfering RNA – AKA short interfering or silencing RNA. It is a double stranded RNA that participates in the RNAi pathway to regulate gene expression.

Slip ring technology. In a CT scanner the X ray detector is rotating rapidly, the technological challenge is to permit continuous transmission of this data to the static data recording software. This tranmission is achived through “slip rings”, sliding electrical contacts between the detector and the image processing unit.

Sterno-Occipital-Mandibular-Immobilizer.  A brace used to maintain the head, neck and trunk in a proscribed alignment.

SOMI Brace – Sternal-Occipital-Mandibular-Immobilizer, a brace for the cervical thoracic spine. It provides greatest immobilization for the mid and lower cervical spine. It immobilizes the upper cervical spine to a lesser degree.

sp. = species, as in Staphylococcus species.

Single photon emission computed tomography – An imaging technique that measures gamma rays emitted after the injection of a gamma-emitting radioisotope. Typically this isotope is attached to a substance that is taken up by a tissue of interest and the intensity of gamma emission reflects the degree of uptake (metabolic activity) of that tissue. The concentration of emitted rays is recorded three dimensionally allowing for the production of a three dimensional image of the tissue that resembles a CT scan.

Supratentorial primative neuroectodermal tumor