médullaire

Médullaire is a French adjective meaning related to the medulla, either the inner or central part of an organ, or to bone marrow. The term derives from Latin medulla and is used in medical and anatomical contexts to designate internal aspects of a structure.

In anatomy, médullaire most often appears in two areas. First, in bone biology, it describes structures inside bones, notably the cavité médullaire (the hollow interior of cortical bone that contains the bone marrow). The bone marrow itself is tissue responsible for hematopoiesis and is traditionally described as red marrow in childhood and yellow marrow with age.

Second, in the nervous system, médullaire pertains to the spinal cord or to inner parts of nervous tissue. Clinically, terms such as atteinte médullaire or lésion médullaire denote damage or disease affecting the spinal cord (myélope). The word can also be used to describe inner or central portions of an organ with a medullary component, though the exact usage varies by context.

Distinctions are important. Médullaire differentiates medullary or spinal aspects from other regional terms such as cérébral (brain) or bulbaire (brainstem). In bone and spinal pathology, it serves as a standard qualifier to specify medullary or spinal involvement.

See also: moelle, cavité médullaire, moelle épinière, myélopathie, tumeur médullaire.