Glossary

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.

– a formula used to calculate the optimal dose of carboplatin to administer a patient for treatment of a cancer. It adjusts the administered dose for the size of the patient and their globular filtration rate (kidney function).

Computerized axial tomography – a type of radiological imaging where a series of 2-dimensional x-ray images are assembled using a computer into a three dimensional image.

Complete blood count – a laboratory test that gives the red blood cell count, white blood cell count, concentration of blood cells; i.e., hematocrit, and concentration of hemoglobin in the blood as well as parameters for the red blood cells. Included is typically a statement about percentages of the various types of white blood cells and the amount of platelets in the blood.

Cerebral blood flow – The blood supply or flow to the brain in a given time. Normally it is 750 millitres per minute or 15% of the cardiac output in an adult. The CBF is greater in children (2 fold increase) and decreases by adolescence (1.5 fold increase). CBF can be calculated by dividing the cerebral perfusion pressure by the cerbrovascular resistance. Cerebrovascular resistance is controlled by four major mechanisms: the brain’s metabolic activity (or ‘metabolic autoregulation’), autoregulation of pressure, chemical control (by arterial pCO2 and pO2)and neural control.

Cerebral blood volume – the amount of blood in the brain.

Children’s Cancer Study Group – This was a North American clinical trial cooperative group that was active in late 20th century with a mission to study childhood cancers. In 2000, the CCG merged with several other pediatric cooperative groups to form the Children’s Oncology Group (COG).

Lomustine, an alkylating nitrosourea drug that is highly lipid soluble.  It is used as an oral, chemotherapy drug for tumors inn the brain.