Chapter 10 Diagnostic & Treatment Procedures

Question 1

An image technique that uses a combination of radio waves and a strong magnetic field to create signals that are sent to a computer & converted into images of any plane through the body. Are important neuroimaging tools b/c they facilitate the examination of the soft tissue structures of the brain & spinal cord.

Answer 1

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

Question 2

An imaging technique that uses thin, fan shaped x-ray beam to produce multiple cross-sectional views of the body. Are important neuroimaging tools b/c they facilitate the examination of the soft tissue structures of the brain & spinal cord.

Answer 2

Computed tomography

Question 3

Detects changes in blood flow in the brain when the patient is asked to perform a specific task. This gives a clear picture of the brain tissue relevant to accomplishing this task.

Answer 3

Functional MRI

Question 4

An ultrasound study of the carotid artery that is performed to detect plaque buildup in the artery to predict or diagnose an ischemic stroke.

Answer 4

carotid ultrasonography

Question 5

The use of ultrasound imaging to create a detailed visual image of the brain for diagnostic purposes.

Answer 5

echoencephalography

Question 6

The process of recording the electrical activity of the brain through the use of electrodes attached to the scalp. This electrical activity may also be displayed on a monitor as brain waves.

Answer 6

electroencephalography [The resulting record is an electroencephalogram.]

Question 7

A radiographic study of the spinal cord after the injection of a contrast medium through a lumbar puncture.

Answer 7

myelography [The resulting record is a myelogram.]

Question 8

The process of obtaining a sample of cerebrospinal fluid by inserting a needle into the subarachnoid space of the lumbar region to withdraw fluid. Changes in the composition of the cerebrospinal fluid can be an indication of injury, infection or disease.

Answer 8

lumbar puncture, aka spinal tap

Question 9

A medication that depresses the central nervous system and usually produces sleep.

Answer 9

hypnotic

Question 10

Medication that prevents siezures such as those associated with epilepsy.

Answer 10

anticonvulsant

Question 11

A class of drugs whose major action is a calming or depressed effect on the central nervous system.

Answer 11

barbiturates [Amobarbital is a barbiturate used as a sedative & hypnotic. Phenobarbital is a barbiturate used as a sedative and as an anticonvulsant.]

Question 12

Medication that depresses the central nervous system to produce calm and diminished responsiveness w/out producing sleep.

Answer 12

sedative [Sedation is the effect produced by a sedative.]

Question 13

The absence of normal sensation, especially sensitive to pain, that is induced by the administration of an anesthetic agent.

Answer 13

anesthesia

Question 14

Medication used to induce anesthesia - may be topical, local, regional, or general.

Answer 14

anesthetic

Question 15

Regional anesthesia produced by injecting medication into the epidural space of the lumbar or sacral region of the spine. When administered during childbirth, it numbs the nerves from the uterus and birth passage w/o stopping labor.

Answer 15

epidural anesthesia

Question 16

Type of anesthesia that involves the total loss of body sensation & consciousness induced by anesthetic agents administered primarily by inhalation or intravenous injection.

Answer 16

general anesthesia

Question 17

Type of anesthesia that causes the loss of sensation in a limited area by injecting an anesthetic solution near that area.

Answer 17

local anesthesia

Question 18

Type of anesthesia that causes a temporary interruption of nerve conduction, is produced by injecting an anesthetic solution near the nerves to be blocked.

Answer 18

regional anesthesia

Question 19

Regional anesthesia produced by injecting medication into the subarachnoid. As with epidural anesthesia, the patient remains conscious. This anesthesia provides numbness from the toes to the waste or lower chest.

Answer 19

spinal anesthesia

Question 20

Type of anesthesia that numbs only the tissue surfaces and is applied as a liquid, ointment or spray.

Answer 20

topical anesthesia

Question 21

A neurosurgical procedure used in the treatment of dystonia, tremors, and Parkinson’s disease. A device to stimulate the brain with mild electrical signals is implanted in the brain & is connected to a stimulator implanted near the collar bone. Dystonia is the impairment of voluntary muscle movement.

Answer 21

deep brain stimulation

Question 22

A type of radiation treatment for brain tumors performed w/out a knife or an incision. The surgeon uses gamma radiation to destroy diseased tissue while preserving the healthy tissue around the tumor. Gamma radiation, which is characterized by high energy & a short wavelength, is also used in nuclear medicine.

Answer 22

gamma knife surgery

Question 23

A procedure in which small amounts of electric current is passed through the brain, deliberately triggering a brief seizure in order to reverse symptoms of certain mental illnesses.

Answer 23

electroconvulsive therapy

Question 24

Exposure to daylight or specific wavelengths of light in order to counteract seasonal affective disorder (SAD).

Answer 24

light therapy

Question 25

The surgical removal of a lobe of an organ. Surgical removal of a portion of the brain to treat brain cancer or seizure disorders that cannot be controlled with medication.

Answer 25

lobectomy

Question 26

A surgical incision into the thalamus. This procedure, which destroys brain cells, is primarily performed to quiet the tremors of Parkinson’s disease.

Answer 26

thalamotomy

Question 27

The surgical repair of a nerve or nerves.

Answer 27

neuroplasty

Question 28

Surgically suturing together the ends of a severed nerve.

Answer 28

neurorrhaphy

Question 29

The surgical division or dissection (cutting) of a nerve.

Answer 29

neurotomy