Syrinx

A character from Greek mythology, widely depicted in classical art. Pursued by the god Pan (half man and half goat), who wished to have his wicked way with her, Syrinx fled but became trapped by the side of a river. She pleaded to the gods for deliverance and was transformed into a bed of water reeds. She thereby gave her name to tubular structures, the most obvious of which is “syringe”. The word syrinx is frequently used as an alternative to syringomyeliaA cavity, within the spinal cord, which is filled with cerebrospinal fluid. Syringomyelia cavities come in various “shapes and sizes”, from short, spindle-shaped cavities through to long, tense cavities extending throughout the greater part of the spinal cord. Read more. Experts also disagree over whether the pleural of the word should be “syrinxes” or “syringes”.