Glossary of Terms
Click on a word/phrase below to see its definition.
Biopsy
An examination of tissue removed from a living body to discover the presence, cause, or extent of a disease
BiPAP
Bi-level Positive Airway Pressure (Bi-Pap) is one of the most commonly used forms of noninvasive ventilation respiratory support used to provide oxygen and pressure to the lungs to make it easier for a patient to breathe. Bi-PAP has two levels of airway pressure: a high pressure when the person breathes in and a low pressure when the person breathes out. A Bi-PAP machine can be programmed to cycle when the person breathes, or it can be set to a timed cycle.
Bisphosphonate
A class of drugs that prevent the loss of bone mass, used to treat osteopenia and osteoporosis
Blood Gases
A test to measure the concentrations of oxygen (O2) and carbon dioxide (CO2) in the blood, along with blood pH and bicarbonate level.
Bolus Feed
A dose of nutritional or medication preparation given via feeding tube
Breath Stacking
A type of respiratory therapy. The patient uses a special bag equipped with a one-way valve and mouthpiece to take a series of breaths without exhaling, expanding the lungs beyond what he or she can accomplish with a single breath. This stretches the lungs and opens clogged airways.
CALLISTO
Congenital Muscular Dystrophy Ascending Multiple Dose Cohort Study analyzing Pharmacokinetics at Three Dose Levels In Children and Adolescents With Assessment of Safety and Tolerability of Omigapil, the clinical trial testing the drug Omigapil in Collagen VI and
LAMA2 CMD Subtypes
Capnography
The measure of CO2 levels in the airway.
Cardiac Monitor
A device for the continuous observation of cardiac function
Cardiomyopathy
Cardiomyopathy is a group of chronic disorders affecting the muscle of the heart resulting in impairment of the pumping function of the heart.
Cell
The structural, funtional, and biological unit of all organisms.
Cervical
Pertaining to the bones in upper spine and neck
CGH Array
A method of examining regions of DNA to identify extra or missing pieces of chromosomal material ranging in size from a whole chromosome to a tiny piece. Targeted CGH arrays can be used to test for deletions and duplications within the CMD gene.
CMD
Congenital Muscular Dystrophy
CMD Subtype
A unique muscle disorder under the umbrella term "CMD" - meaning congenital muscular dystrophy or congenital muscle disease.