leptomeningitis

9.9

A swelling of the two thin layers of tissue that cover the brain and spinal cord

noun
/ˌlɛptoʊˌmɛnɪnˈdʒaɪtɪs/

Specialized

: leptomeningitis

Symptoms of leptomeningitis include severe headache, fever, and neck stiffness.

Examples

Treatment for leptomeningitis typically involves antibiotics and supportive care.
The autopsy revealed that the patient had died from acute leptomeningitis.
The patient was diagnosed with leptomeningitis after experiencing severe headaches.
Symptoms of leptomeningitis can include fever and neck stiffness.
Symptoms of leptomeningitis include severe headache, fever, and neck stiffness.
The autopsy revealed that the patient had died from acute leptomeningitis.
Treatment for leptomeningitis typically involves antibiotics and supportive care.

Synonyms

meningitis

vsleptomeningitis

Specialized

48 6.5

A serious infection that makes the thin layers around the brain and spinal cord swell and cause headache and fever

is inflammation of the two thin inner layers that cover brain and spinal cord

Surface Forms

leptomeningitis singular

leptomeningitides plural

Morphology

leptomeningitis = meningitis (opaque) = lepto + mening + itis

The prefix 'lepto-' specifies thinness, but this specificity is not transparent to learners without medical knowledge.

Etymology

Leptomeningitis comes from Greek parts: lepto- meaning 'thin', mening- meaning 'membrane', and -itis meaning 'inflammation', with -itis seen in words like arthritis. So, leptomeningitis literally means 'inflammation of the thin membranes' that cover the brain and spinal cord.