spinal tap

American  

[spahyn-uhl tap] / ˈspaɪn əl ˈtæp /

noun

plural

spinal taps

1. lumbar puncture.

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spinal tap Scientific  

1. See lumbar puncture

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Other Word Forms

• spinal-tap
  adjective

Example Sentences

But first, Atlantis Hospital referred the toddler to Euracare for pre-flight investigations, including an MRI and a spinal tap, or lumbar puncture.

From BBC • Feb. 26, 2026

Through a PET scan and spinal tap, I saw the sticky, abnormal plaques associated with the disease building up in my brain.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 3, 2026

If he looked ill enough, a spinal tap would be performed, during which he would be curled into a ball like a fetus.

From Slate • Jan. 29, 2025

For months, doctors couldn’t figure out why, until a spinal tap revealed she had Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder that causes the body to attack its own nerves, leading to tingling, weakness and pain.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 26, 2023

I missed you.They did me a spinal tap.

From "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie" by Jordan Sonnenblick