2. General Organization of a Vertebra

Question 1

What are the three basic osseous parts of a vertebra?

Answer 1

the vertebral body, vertebral arch, and the apophyseal regions

Question 2

What is the general shape of the vertebral body at each region of the spine?

Answer 2

cervical- rectangular, thoracic- triangular, lumbar- reniform

Question 3

What is the name given to the compact bone at the superior and inferior surfaces of the vertebral body?

Answer 3

superior epiphyseal rim, inferior epiphyseal rim

Question 4

What is the name given to the cartilage found at the superior and inferior surface of a developing vertebral body?

Answer 4

superior epiphyseal plate, inferior epiphyseal plate

Question 5

What are the nammes of the openings found around the margins of the vertebral body?

Answer 5

nutrient formamina or vascular foramina

Question 6

What large opening is usually observed at the back of the vertebral body?

Answer 6

the basivertebral venous foramen

Question 7

What is the name given to the anterior part of the vertebral arch?

Answer 7

the pedicle

Question 8

What is the name of the feature located at the upper and lower surfaces of the pedicle?

Answer 8

the superior notch or superior vertebral incisure; the inferior vertebral notch or inferior vertebral incisure

Question 9

What is the generic orientation of the pedicle at each region of the spine?

Answer 9

cervical- posterolateral
thoracic- posterior, sligh lateral
lumbar- posterior

Question 10

All lamina are orientated in what direction?

Answer 10

posterior and median

Question 11

What is the naem given to the overlap of laminae seen on x-ray?

Answer 11

shingling

Question 12

What ligament will attach to the lamina?

Answer 12

ligamentum flavum

Question 13

What is the name given to abnormal bone at the attachment site of the ligamentum flavum?

Answer 13

para-articular process

Question 14

What classification of bone will para-articular processes represent?

Answer 14

accessory bone

Question 15

What is the name given to the lamina - pedicle junction at each region of the spine?

Answer 15

cervical - articular pillar; thoracic and lumbar - pars interarticularis

Question 16

What is the name given to the junction of the vertebral arch - spinous process on lateral X- ray?

Answer 16

the spinolaminar junction

Question 17

What is the name given to the tubular bone growth regions of the vertebral arch?

Answer 17

the apophyseal regions

Question 18

What names may be given to each apophysis of the spine?

Answer 18

the transverse apophysis or transverse process; articular apophysis or articular process; spinous apophysis or spinous process

Question 19

What is the genetic orientation of the transverse process or transverse apophysis at each region of the spine?

Answer 19

cervical- anterolateral; thoracic- posterolateral; lumbar- lateral

Question 20

All non-rib-bearing vertebra of the spine retain what equivalent feature?

Answer 20

the costal element

Question 21

What will cause the transverse process/transverse apophysis to alter its initial direction in the cervical region?

Answer 21

cervical spinal nerves are pulled forward and downward to form the cervical and brachial nerve plexuses thus remodeling the transverse process to accomodate their new position

Question 22

What will cause the transverse process/transverse apophysis to alter its initial direction in the thoracic region?

Answer 22

the growth of the lungs remodel the shape of the ribswhich in turn push the transverse processes backward

Question 23

What is the name given to the joint formed between articular facets of a vertebral couple?

Answer 23

zygapophysis

Question 24

What is the name given to the bone surface at the front of a zygapophysis?

Answer 24

the superior articular facet

Question 25

What is the name given to the bone surface at the back of a zygapophysis?

Answer 25

the inferior articular facet

Question 26

In the vertebral couple, the part of the vertebra which lies anterior to the zygapophysis is called the ____.

Answer 26

pre-zygapophysis

Question 27

In the vertebral couple, the part of the vertebra which lies posterior to the zygapophysis is called the ____.

Answer 27

post-zygapophysis

Question 28

What is the name given to the part of the vertebra forming the pre-zygapophysis?

Answer 28

the superior articular process or superior articular apophysis

Question 29

What is the name given to the part of the vertebra forming the post-zygapophysis?

Answer 29

the inferior articular process or inferior articular apophysis

Question 30

What will form the posterior boundary of a typical intervertebral foramen?

Answer 30

the inferior articular process/post-zygapophysis, the superior articular process/pre-zygapophysis, the capsular ligament, and the ligamentum flavum

Question 31

What will form the anterior boundary of a typical intervertebral foramen?

Answer 31

the vertebral body of the segment above, the vertebral body of the segment below, the intervertebral disc, and the posterior longitudinal ligament

Question 32

What is the method of calculating the angle of the spinous process/spinous apophysis?

Answer 32

calculate the angle formed between the undersurface of the spinous process/spinous apophysis and the horizontal plane

Question 33

What is the name given to the normal overlap of spinous processes or spinous apophyses as seen on X-ray?

Answer 33

imbrication

Question 34

What is the name given to the rounded elevation at the tip of the spinous process/ spinous apophysis?

Answer 34

the spinous tubercle

Question 35

What is the orientation of the spinous process/ spinous apophysis at each region of the spine?

Answer 35

cervical - slight angle inferiorly
thoracic - noticeable angle inferiorly
lumbar - no inferior angle