Webster's New World Medical Dictionary

craniocleidodysostosis
See 
cleidocranial
dysostosis.
craniofacial disorder
A disorder that affects the
structure of the skull and face.
craniopharyngioma
A benign brain tumor that
develops from embryonic tissue that forms part of
the pituitary gland. Pressure on the pituitary gland
by the tumor reduces the availability of the hormone
vasopressin, raising the pressure within the cra-
nium. A craniopharyngioma usually includes hard,
calcified components within the tumor itself and
affects the development of the adjacent skull.
Treatment is usually surgery.
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craniosacral therapy
An alternative therapy in
which practitioners attempt to create positive effects
by manipulating the bones of the skull and spine, as
well as the fascia that underlies muscle tissue. There
is little scientific evidence at this time for the value
of craniosacral therapy.
craniosynostosis
Premature fusion of the
sutures between the growth plates in an infant’s
skull that prevents normal skull expansion.
Craniosynostosis can cause an abnormally shaped
skull. Premature closure of all the sutures can cause
microcephaly (an abnormally small head), which
prevents the normal growth of the brain and results
in mental retardation. Treatment usually involves
surgery.
craniotomy
A surgical operation in which an
opening is made in the skull.
cranium
The top portion of the skull, which pro-
tects the brain. The cranium includes the frontal,
parietal, occipital, temporal, sphenoid, and ethmoid
bones.