Glossary

Bispectral Index Monitoring Systems are used by anesthesia practitioners to quantify the impact of anesthesia on processed EEG information as a measure of depth of anesthesia.

– a member of the polyomavirus family that is present in up to 80% of the general population where it lies dormant in the kidneys. Becomes symptomatic in immunocompromised individuals leading to kidney damage.

Clonus of the eyelids. Rapid, repetitive blinking of the eyelids.

Body mass index: The body weight (mass) divided by the height squared.  Kilograms are used for weight and meters for height resulting in formula for BMI calculation being mass (kg)/height (M²).  BMI > 25 is overweight and >30 is obese.

The introduction of a radiation emitting isotope into a cavity to treat tissue adjacent to the cavity with radiation.

A gene responsible for manufacture of B-raf protein, a signaling protein within cells involved in cell growth and active in some types of cancer cells.

A polysynaptic reflex that can be tested to evaluate the spinal cord’s functional status (i.e., to determine if the spinal cord is in a state of shock).  It is performed by stimulating afferent, sensory fibers of the penis or clitoris (e.g., as happens when the penis or clitoris is squeezed or electrically stimulated) while observing or otherwise monitoring the anal sprinters for reflexive contraction.

Blood Urea Nitrogen – This is a laboratory test on blood for the level of blood urea, a form of nitrogen, which is a metabolic waste product that is cleared from the body by the kidneys. The test is usually used to as a marker for kidney function.

cervical spine – an abbreviation commonly used for cervical spine.

containing calcium carbonate; chalky.