blood-brain barrier
Also written as: BBB — blood-brain barrier
A selective barrier that prevents most substances in blood from entering brain tissue, critical in brain tumor treatment planning.
Full Definition
The blood-brain barrier (BBB) is a highly selective semipermeable membrane barrier that separates circulating blood from the brain and central nervous system. It prevents most large molecules, pathogens, and many drugs from entering the brain tissue. In neurosurgical oncology, the blood-brain barrier presents a significant challenge for drug delivery to brain tumors, as many chemotherapy agents cannot cross this barrier effectively. Understanding BBB disruption in brain tumors is crucial for treatment planning and documentation.
Usage
Usage note: Always hyphenated when used as an adjective; use BBB only after first use in formal documents.
In Context
- "The drug's inability to cross the blood-brain barrier limited treatment options." — Treatment planning document
- "Tumor-induced blood-brain barrier disruption was evident on contrast-enhanced MRI." — Radiology report