noun
cervical spinal cord; cervical cord
Anatomical term for the part of the spinal cord located in the neck region.
頸髄損傷は四肢の麻痺を引き起こすことがある。
Cervical spinal cord injury can cause paralysis of all four limbs.
脊髄 refers to the spinal cord as a whole, while 頸髄 specifically denotes the cervical (neck) portion.
Compound of 頸 (neck) and 髄 (marrow, cord). The exact historical derivation is uncertain, but the term follows standard Sino-Japanese medical nomenclature.