Ankylosing Spondylitis, Radiologic Perspective Glossary of Medical Terms

Abnormal: Not normal. Deviating from the usual structure, position, condition, or behavior. In referring to a growth, abnormal may mean that it is cancerous or premalignant (likely to become cancer ).
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Adjacent: Lying nearby. Related terms include superjacent , subjacent , and circumjacent . From ad- , near + the Latin jacere, to lie = to lie near.
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Aleve: See: Naproxen .
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Ankylosing: Undergoing ankylosis (stiffening or fusion of a joint ).
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Ankylosing spondylitis: A type of arthritis that causes chronic inflammation of the spine and the sacroiliac joints. Chronic inflammation in these areas causes pain and stiffness in and around the spine. Over time, chronic spinal inflammation (spondylitis) can lead to a complete cementing together (fusion) of the vertebrae, a process called ankylosis. Ankylosis causes total loss of mobility of the spine.
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Ankylosis: Stiffness or, more often, fusion of a joint. From the Greek ankylsis, meaning stiffening of a joint.
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Annulus: A ringlike structure, or any body part that is shaped like a ring. Applied to many small ring-shaped structures.
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Antagonist: In biochemistry, an antagonist acts against and blocks an action. For example, insulin lowers the level of glucose (sugar) in the blood, whereas another hormone called glucagon raises it; therefore, insulin and glucagon are antagonists.
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Antigen: A substance that is capable of causing the production of an antibody .
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Arthritis: Inflammation of a joint. When joints are inflamed they can develop stiffness, warmth, swelling, redness and pain. There are over 100 types of arthritis . (see osteoarthritis , rheumatoid arthritis , ankylosing spondylitis , psoriatic arthritis , lupus , gout , pseudogout ).
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Arthropathy: Joint disease. The term arthropathy does not specify the type of joint disease. It might be osteoarthropathy or it might be infectious joint disease or it might another kind of joint disease.
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Aspergillus: A family of fungal organisms and molds, some of which can cause disease ( aspergillosis ).
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Back pain: Pain felt in the low or upper back. There are many causes of back pain.
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Bilateral: Having, or relating to, two sides. Bilateral is as opposed, for example, to unilateral (which means having, or relating to, one side).
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Breathing: The process of respiration, during which air is inhaled into the lungs through the mouth or nose due to muscle contraction, and then exhaled due to muscle relaxation.
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Bridge: A set of one or more false teeth supported by a metal framework, used to replace one or more missing teeth.
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Bullae: More than one bulla, a bulla being a blister more than 5 mm (about 3/16 inch) in diameter with thin walls that is full of fluid.
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Calcium: A mineral found mainly in the hard part of bones, where it is stored. Calcium is added to bones by cells called osteoblasts and is removed from bones by cells called osteoclasts. Calcium is essential for healthy bones. It is also important for muscle contraction, heart action, nervous system maintenance, and normal blood clotting. Food sources of calcium include dairy foods, some leafy green vegetables such as broccoli and collards, canned salmon, clams, oysters, calcium-fortified foods, and tofu. According to the National Academy of Sciences, adequate intake of calcium is 1,200 milligrams a day (four glasses of milk) for men and women 51 and older, 1,000 milligrams a day for adults 19 through 50, and 1,300 milligrams a day for children 9 through 18. The upper limit for calcium intake is 2.5 grams daily. Learn more about Calcium with evidence-based information on RxList.

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Cartilage: Firm, rubbery tissue that cushions bones at joints. A more flexible kind of cartilage connects muscles with bones and makes up other parts of the body, such as the larynx and the outside parts of the ears.
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Cauda equina: A bundle of spinal nerve roots that arise from the bottom end of the spinal cord . The cauda equina comprises the roots of all the spinal nerve roots below the level of the first lumbar (L1) vertebra , namely the sacral and coccygeal nerves. So named because it resembles the tail (Latin, cauda) of a horse (Latin, equus). See also Cauda equina syndrome .
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Cauda equina syndrome: Impairment of the nerves in the cauda equina , the bundle of spinal nerve roots that arise from the lower end of the spinal cord . The syndrome is characterized by dull pain in the lower back and upper buttocks and lack of feeling ( analgesia ) in the buttocks, genitalia and thigh, together with disturbances of bowel and bladder function.
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Cervical: Having to do with any kind of neck including the neck on which the head is perched and the neck of the uterus. The word "cervix" in Latin means "neck". That is why cervical vertebrae and cervical cancer involve quite disparate parts of the anatomy joined only by the meaning of the word "cervix".
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Chest: The area of the body located between the neck and the abdomen . The chest contains the lungs , the heart and part of the aorta . The walls of the chest are supported by the dorsal vertebrae , the ribs , and the sternum .
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Chronic: This important term in medicine comes from the Greek chronos, time and means lasting a long time.
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Compression: 1. The act of pressing together. As in a compression fracture , nerve compression , or spinal cord compression.
2. To shorten in time. In embryology, there may be compression of development with some stages even omitted.
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Computed tomography: An x-ray procedure that uses the help of a computer to produce a detailed picture of a cross section of the body. Also called a CT scan or CAT scan .
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Consultant: An individual to whom one refers for expert advice or services. The use of consultants is common in medicine.
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Diagnosis: 1 The nature of a disease ; the identification of an illness. 2 A conclusion or decision reached by diagnosis. The diagnosis is rabies . 3 The identification of any problem. The diagnosis was a plugged IV.
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Diverticula: The plural of diverticulum. As a person ages, pressure within the large intestine (colon) causes pockets of tissue (sacs) that push out from the colon walls. A small bulging sac pushing outward from the colon wall is a diverticulum. Diverticula can occur throughout the colon but are most common near the end of the left side of the colon, the sigmoid colon.
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Edema: The swelling of soft tissues as a result of excess water accumulation.
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Family history: The family structure and relationships within the family, including information about diseases in family members.
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Femur: The femur is the bone in the leg that extends from the hip to the knee.
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Focal: Pertaining to a focus which in medicine may refer to:
1. The point at which rays converge as, for example, in the focal point.
2. A localized area of disease. A focal cancer is limited to one specific area.
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Fracture: A break in bone or cartilage. Although usually the result of trauma, a fracture can be caused by an acquired disease of bone such as osteoporosis or by abnormal formation of bone in a disease such as osteogenesis imperfecta ("brittle bone disease"). Fractures are classified according to their character and location as, for example, a greenstick fracture of the radius.
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Genetic: Having to do with genes and genetic information.
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Groin: In anatomy, the area where the upper thigh meets the trunk. More precisely, the fold or depression marking the juncture of the lower abdomen and the inner part of the thigh.
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Heart: The muscle that pumps blood received from veins into arteries throughout the body. It is positioned in the chest behind the sternum (breastbone; in front of the trachea, esophagus, and aorta; and above the diaphragm muscle that separates the chest and abdominal cavities. The normal heart is about the size of a closed fist, and weighs about 10.5 ounces. It is cone-shaped, with the point of the cone pointing down to the left. Two-thirds of the heart lies in the left side of the chest with the balance in the right chest.
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Ibuprofen: A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) commonly used to treat pain, swelling, and fever . Common brand names for Ibuprofen include Advil, Motrin, and Nuprin.
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Indicate: In medicine, to make a treatment or procedure advisable because of a particular condition or circumstance. For example, certain medications are indicated for the treatment of hypertension during pregnancy while others are contraindicated .
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Infection: The growth of a parasitic organism within the body. (A parasitic organism is one that lives on or in another organism and draws its nourishment therefrom.) A person with an infection has another organism (a "germ") growing within him, drawing its nourishment from the person.
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Inflammation: A basic way in which the body reacts to infection , irritation or other injury, the key feature being redness, warmth, swelling and pain . Inflammation is now recognized as a type of nonspecific immune response .
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Injury: Harm or hurt. The term "injury" may be applied in medicine to damage inflicted upon oneself as in a hamstring injury or by an external agent on as in a cold injury . The injury may be accidental or deliberate, as with a needlestick injury . The term "injury" may be synonymous (depending on the context) with a wound or with trauma .
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Internal medicine: A medical specialty dedicated to the diagnosis and medical treatment of adults. A physician who specializes in internal medicine is referred to as an internist. A minimum of seven years of medical school and postgraduate training are focused on learning the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of diseases of adults. Subspecialties of internal medicine include allergy and immunology, cardiology (heart), endocrinology (hormone disorders), hematology (blood disorders), infectious diseases, gastroenterology (diseases of the gut), nephrology (kidney diseases), oncology (cancer), pulmonology (lung disorders), and rheumatology ( arthritis and musculoskeletal disorders).
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Iris: The iris is the circular, colored curtain of the eye. Its opening forms the pupil. The iris helps regulate the amount of light that enters the eye.
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Iritis: Inflammation of the iris. The iris is the circular, colored curtain in the front of the visible of the eye. (The opening of the iris forms the pupil.)
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Joint: A joint is the area where two bones are attached for the purpose of motion of body parts. A joint is usually formed of fibrous connective tissue and cartilage. An articulation or an arthrosis is the same as a joint.
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Laboratory: A place for doing tests and research procedures and preparing chemicals, etc. Although "laboratory" looks very like the Latin "laboratorium" (a place to labor, a work place), the word "laboratory" came from the Latin "elaborare" (to work out, as a problem, and with great pains), as evidenced by the Old English spelling "elaboratory" designating "a place where learned effort was applied to the solution of scientific problems."
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Lesion: Pronounced "lee-sion" with the emphasis on the "lee," a lesion can be almost any abnormality involving any tissue or organ due to any disease or any injury.
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Ligament: A ligament is a tough band of connective tissue that connects various structures such as two bones.
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Limb: The arm or leg.
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Low back pain: Pain in the lower back area that can relate to problems with the lumbar spine , the discs between the vertebrae , the ligaments around the spine and discs, the spinal cord and nerves , muscles of the low back, internal organs of the pelvis and abdomen , or the skin covering the lumbar area.
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Lumbar: Referring to the 5 lumbar vertebrae which are situated below the thoracic vertebrae and above the sacral vertebrae in the spinal column. The 5 lumbar vertebrae are represented by the symbols L1 through L5. There are correspondingly 5 lumbar nerves.
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Lungs: The lungs are a pair of breathing organs located with the chest which remove carbon dioxide from and bring oxygen to the blood. There is a right and left lung.
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Magnetic resonance imaging : A special radiology technique designed to image internal structures of the body using magnetism, radio waves, and a computer to produce the images of body structures. In magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the scanner is a tube surrounded by a giant circular magnet. The patient is placed on a moveable bed that is inserted into the magnet. The magnet creates a strong magnetic field that aligns the protons of hydrogen atoms, which are then exposed to a beam of radio waves. This spins the various protons of the body, and they produce a faint signal that is detected by the receiver portion of the MRI scanner. A computer processes the receiver information, and an image is produced. The image and resolution is quite detailed and can detect tiny changes of structures within the body, particularly in the soft tissue, brain and spinal cord, abdomen and joints.
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Marrow: The bone marrow .
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Membrane: A very thin layer of tissue that covers a surface.
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Methotrexate : A drug that acts as an antimetabolite and specifically as a folic acid antagonist that inhibits the synthesis of DNA , RNA , and protein .
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MRI: Abbreviation and nickname for magnetic resonance imaging . For more information, see: Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Paul C. Lauterbur ; Peter Mansfield .
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Naproxen : A non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used for the management of mild to moderate pain, fever, and inflammation . Naproxen blocks the enzyme cyclooxygenase that makes prostaglandins, resulting in lower concentrations of prostaglandins. As a consequence, inflammation, pain and fever are reduced. Brand names for naproxen include Anaprox, Naprelan, Naprosyn, and Aleve.
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Neck: The part of the body joining the head to the shoulders. Also, any narrow or constricted part of a bone or organ that joins its parts as, for example, the neck of the femur bone.
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Necrosis: The death of living cells or tissues . Necrosis can be due, for example, to ischemia (lack of blood flow). From the Greek "nekros" (dead body).
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Objective: In a microscope, the objective (also called the objective lens) is the lens nearest to the object being examined whereas the lens closest to the eye is termed the ocular (the eyepiece).
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Onset: In medicine, the first appearance of the signs or symptoms of an illness as, for example, the onset of rheumatoid arthritis . There is always an onset to a disease but never to the return to good health. The default setting is good health.
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Ossification: The process of creating bone, that is of transforming cartilage (or fibrous tissue) into bone.
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Pain: An unpleasant sensation that can range from mild, localized discomfort to agony. Pain has both physical and emotional components. The physical part of pain results from nerve stimulation. Pain may be contained to a discrete area, as in an injury, or it can be more diffuse, as in disorders like fibromyalgia . Pain is mediated by specific nerve fibers that carry the pain impulses to the brain where their conscious appreciation may be modified by many factors.
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Pelvis: The lower part of the abdomen located between the hip bones.
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Pharmacy: A location where prescription drugs are sold. A pharmacy is, by law, constantly supervised by a licensed pharmacist.
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Posterior: The back or behind, as opposed to the anterior.
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Progressive: Increasing in scope or severity. Advancing. Going forward. In medicine, a disease that is progressive is going from bad to worse.
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Radiate: To spread out from a central area. For example, sciatic pain may radiate outward from the lower back.
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Radiation: 1. Rays of energy. Gamma rays and X-rays are two of the types of energy waves often used in medicine. 2. The use of energy waves to diagnose or treat disease. See also: Irradiation .
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Radioactive: Emitting energy waves due to decaying atomic nuclei. Radioactive substances are used in medicine as tracers for diagnosis, and in treatment to kill cancerous cells.
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Radiologic: Having to do with radiology.
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Radiologist: A physician specialized in radiology , the branch of medicine that uses ionizing and nonionizing radiation for the diagnosis and treatment of disease.
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Rheumatoid spondylitis: See: Ankylosing spondylitis .
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Rheumatology: A subspecialty of internal medicine that involves the non-surgical evaluation and treatment of the rheumatic diseases and conditions. Rheumatic diseases and conditions are characterized by symptoms involving the musculoskeletal system. Many of the rheumatic diseases and conditions feature immune system abnormalities. Therefore, rheumatology also involves the study of the immune system. Classical rheumatology training includes 4 years of medical school, 1 year of internship in internal medicine, 2 years of internal medicine residency, and 2 years of rheumatology fellowship. There is a subspecialty board for rheumatology certification. The American College of Rheumatology is the official organization acting on behalf of the field of rheumatology in the United States.
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Rib: One of the 12 paired arches of bone which form the skeletal structure of the chest wall (the rib cage). The ribs attach to the building blocks of the spine (vertebrae) in the back. The 12 pairs of ribs consist of:

• True ribs: The first seven ribs attach to the sternum (the breast bone) in the front and are known as true ribs (or sternal ribs).
• False ribs: The lower five ribs do not directly connect to the sternum and are known as false ribs.

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Rib cage: The structure formed by the thoracic vertebrae and ribs, the sternum (breastbone), and the costal cartilages (that attach the ribs to the sternum).
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Sacrum: The large heavy bone at the base of the spine, which is made up of fused sacral vertebrae. The sacrum is located in the vertebral column, between the lumbar vertebrae and the coccyx. It is roughly triangular in shape and makes up the back wall of the pelvis. The female sacrum is wider and less curved than the male.
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Scintigraphy: A diagnostic test in which a two-dimensional picture of a body radiation source is obtained through the use of radioisotopes. For example, scintigraphy of the biliary system ( cholescintigraphy ) is done to diagnose obstruction of the bile ducts by a gallstone, a tumor, or another problem; disease of the gallbladder; and bile leaks. For cholescintigraphy, a radioactive chemical is injected intravenously into the patient. The chemical is removed from the blood by the liver and secreted into the bile that the liver makes. The chemical then goes everywhere that the bile goes: into the bile ducts, the gallbladder, and the intestine. By placing over the abdomen a camera that senses radioactivity, a picture of the gallbladder ; and bile leaks. For cholescintigraphy, a radioactive chemical is injected intravenously into the patient. The chemical is removed from the blood by the liver can be obtained that corresponds to where the radioactivity is within the bile-filled liver, ducts, and gallbladder. Other scintigraphic tests are done similarly.
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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 the central nervous system ( CNS ). The spinal cord consists of nerve fibers that transmit impulses to and from the brain. Like the brain, the spinal cord is covered by three connective-tissue envelopes called the meninges . The space between the outer and middle envelopes is filled with cerebrospinal fluid ( CSF ), a clear colorless fluid that cushions the spinal cord against jarring shock. Also known simply as the cord.
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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.
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Spine: 1) The column of bone known as the vertebral column, which surrounds and protects the spinal cord. The spine can be categorized according to level of the body: i.e., cervical spine (neck), thoracic spine (upper and middle back), and lumbar spine (lower back). See also vertebral column. 2) Any short prominence of bone. The spines of the vertebrae protrude at the base of the back of the neck and in the middle of the back. These spines protect the spinal cord from injury from behind.
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Spondylitis: Inflammation of one or more of the vertebrae of the spine. Diffuse inflammation of the spine is seen in the disease ankylosing spondylitis . Localized spondylitis is seen with infections of a certain area of the spine, such as in Pott's disease.
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Stenosis: A narrowing, as in:

• aortic stenosis (narrowing of the aortic valve of the heart),
• pulmonary stenosis (narrowing of the pulmonary valve of the heart),
• pyloric stenosis (narrowing of the outlet of the stomach), and
• spinal stenosis (narrowing of the vertebral canal).

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Surgery: The word "surgery" has multiple meanings. It is the branch of medicine concerned with diseases and conditions which require or are amenable to operative procedures. Surgery is the work done by a surgeon. By analogy, the work of an editor wielding his pen as a scalpel is s form of surgery. A surgery in England (and some other countries) is a physician's or dentist's office.
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Syndrome: A set of signs and symptoms that tend to occur together and which reflect the presence of a particular disease or an increased chance of developing a particular disease.
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Synovitis: Inflammation of the synovial membrane, the lining of the joint.
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Thigh: The thigh extends from the hip to the knee. The thigh has only one bone, the femur which is the largest bone in the human body.
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Thigh bone: The thigh bone in anatomy is called the "femur." Whichever term you care to use -- thigh bone or femur, it is the bone in the leg that extends from the hip to the knee.
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Thoracic: Pertaining to the chest.
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Tomography: The process for generating a tomogram , a two-dimensional image of a slice or section through a three-dimensional object. Tomography achieves this remarkable result by simply moving an x-ray source in one direction as the x-ray film is moved in the opposite direction during the exposure to sharpen structures in the focal plane, while structures in other planes appear blurred. The tomogram is the picture; the tomograph is the apparatus; and tomography is the process.
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Trauma: Any injury , whether physically or emotionally inflicted. "Trauma" has both a medical and a psychiatric definition. Medically, "trauma" refers to a serious or critical bodily injury, wound, or shock . This definition is often associated with trauma medicine practiced in emergency rooms and represents a popular view of the term. In psychiatry , "trauma" has assumed a different meaning and refers to an experience that is emotionally painful, distressful, or shocking, which often results in lasting mental and physical effects.
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Tuberculous: Pertaining to tuberculosis . Affected by tuberculosis. Caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis . As in tuberculous meningitis . Also called tubercular and tuberculotic.
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Tumor: An abnormal mass of tissue. Tumors are a classic sign of inflammation, and can be benign or malignant (cancerous). There are dozens of different types of tumors. Their names usually reflect the kind of tissue they arise in, and may also tell you something about their shape or how they grow. For example, a medulloblastoma is a tumor that arises from embryonic cells (a blastoma) in the inner part of the brain (the medulla). Diagnosis depends on the type and location of the tumor. Tumor marker tests and imaging may be used; some tumors can be seen (for example, tumors on the exterior of the skin) or felt (palpated with the hands).
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Tumor necrosis factor: A member of a superfamily of proteins , each with 157 amino acids, which induce necrosis (death) of tumor cells and possess a wide range of proinflammatory actions. Tumor necrosis factor is a multifunctional cytokine with effects on lipid metabolism , coagulation , insulin resistance, and the function of endothelial cells lining blood vessels.
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Unilateral: Having, or relating to, one side. Unilateral is as opposed, for example, to bilateral (which means having, or relating to, two sides).
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Vertebra: A vertebra is one of 33 bony segments that form the spinal column of humans. There are 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral (fused into one sacrum bone) and 4 coccygeal (fused into one coccyx bone).
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Vertebrae: The preferred plural of vertebra . (The alternate plural is vertebras.) See also: Cervical vertebrae ; Coccygeal vertebrae ; Lumbar vertebrae ; Sacral vertebrae ; and Thoracic vertebrae .
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X-ray: 1. High-energy radiation with waves shorter than those of visible light. X-rays possess the properties of penetrating most substances (to varying extents), of acting on a photographic film or plate (permitting radiography), and of causing a fluorescent screen to give off light (permitting fluoroscopy). In low doses X-rays are used for making images that help to diagnose disease, and in high doses to treat cancer . Formerly called a Roentgen ray. 2. An image obtained by means of X-rays.
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