Medical definitions as they pertain to my health situation
Angiogram - Medical imaging technique that looks at the inside of the circulatory system
Benign – Non-cancerous.
CAT Scan – See X-Ray Computed Tomography.
Cranial Nerve – There are twelve pairs of nerves which extend directly from the brain, ten of which extend from the brainstem. This includes the vagus nerve.
CT Scan - See X-Ray Computed Tomography.
Embolize – To systematically cut off blood flow to an area through purposefully placed blood clots, i.e. before surgery
Fletcher Allen – Hospital in Burlington, VT.
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) – A medical imaging technique which does not use radiation but magnetic fields and radio frequency fields provide much greater contrast than a CT Scan.
Malignant – Cancerous.
MRI – See Magnetic Resonance Imaging.
Neurotology – A medical subspecialty of otolaryngology focusing on nerves and skull base surgery.
New York Ear and Eye Infirmary (NYEEI) – Specialty hospital in NYC .
Octreotide Scan – A radiology scan, more accurate than CT and MRI scans, used to determine specific types of tumors. This test takes multiple days.
Otolaryngology (ENT) – A medical specialty focusing on ear, nose, and throat.
PTH – Parathyroid hormone secreted by parathyroid glands. Some rare thyroid conditions can result in vagal tumors. Levels peak at 2am and dip at 2pm, and can be altered by food consumption.
Vagal Paraganglioma – A type of generally benign, vascular tumor stemming from the vagus nerve, very few are malignant and can only metastasize to lymph nodes.
Vagal Schwannoma – A type of generally benign, solid tumor stemming from the vagus nerve, very few are malignant and can only metastasize to lymph nodes.
Vagus Nerve – The 10th cranial nerve associated with cough reflex, gag reflex, vocal cords, blood pressure, fainting, heart rate, and more.
Vascular – Having blood flow throughout.
Westchester Medical Center – Hospital in NY.
X-Ray Computed Tomography (CT Scan or CAT Scan) – Medical imaging using a series of 2D x-rays rotating around an axis to create a 3D image.
