CSF VOCABULARY

A cerebral abscess is a pus-filled pocket of infected material in your brain. It is sometimes

called a brain abscess. An abscess can cause your brain to swell, putting harmful pressure
on brain tissue. An abscess can also keep blood from flowing to parts of your brain.
Lymphoma is cancer that begins in infection-fighting cells of the immune system, called
lymphocytes. These cells are in the lymph nodes, spleen, thymus, bone marrow, and other parts
of the body. When you have lymphoma, lymphocytes change and grow out of control.
Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) occurs when a blood clot forms in the brain's
venous sinuses. If you have cerebral venous sinus thrombosis: Respond quickly to
symptoms like headaches, blurry vision, fainting, losing control of a part of your body, and
seizures.
Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a potentially disabling disease of the brain and spinal cord (central
nervous system). In MS , the immune system attacks the protective sheath (myelin) that covers
nerve fibers and causes communication problems between your brain and the rest of your body.
A meningioma is a tumor that arises from the meninges — the membranes that surround your
brain and spinal cord.

Ependymoma is a type of tumor that can form in the brain or spinal cord. Ependymoma begins
in the ependymal cells in the brain and spinal cord that line the passageways where the fluid
(cerebrospinal fluid) that nourishes your brain flows. Ependymoma can occur at any age, but
most often occurs in young children.
An abscess forms when an area of cerebral inflammation becomes necrotic and encapsulated by
glial cells and fibroblasts.

Purulent meningitis refers to inflammation of leptomeninges occurring along with infection of

the subarachnoid space by various purulent bacteria. Clinically, purulent meningitis usually
manifests as fever, vomiting, headache, and meningeal irritation.
Granulomatous meningoencephalitis (GME) is an inflammatory disease of the central
nervous system (CNS)
Leptomeningeal carcinomatosis, or carcinomatous meningitis, is a relatively rare but highly
morbid complication of metastatic cancer (Chamberlain, 2010). The syndrome results from
tumor infiltration and inflammation of the leptomeninges.
Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) is a rare, rapidly progressive disease due to inflammation of
the nerves (polyneuritis) causing muscle weakness, sometimes progressing to complete
paralysis. GBS affects about one or two people each year in every 100,000 population. Its exact
cause is unknown.
Myxedema is another term for severely advanced hypothyroidism. This is a condition that
occurs when your body doesn't produce enough thyroid hormone. The thyroid is a small gland
that sits right at the front of your neck. It releases hormones that help your body regulate energy
and control a wide variety of functions.