Bones of the vertebral collumn Flashcards
what are the 4 main groups of the vertebrae
7 Cervical vertebrae
12 Thoracic vertebrae
5 Lumbar vertebrae
5 Sacral vertebrae (fused)
name the bony features of a typical vertebrae
Vertebral body
articular facet on the body
vertebral arch
articular process
pedicles
laminae
spinous process
intervertebral foramen
neural (vertebral) foramen
Transverse process
zygapophyseal (facet) joint.
characteristics of a typical cervical vertebrae
Small in size
kidney shaped (when viewed from above)
concave superior surface
convex inferior surface
trough shaped transverse process
transverse foramen
pedicles are short
vertebral foramen is triangular
long narrow lamina
Spinous process is short and bifid.
which cervical vertebrae are specialised?
The first (atlas) and second (axis) vertebrae are specialised to accommodate for movement of the head
Describe how the atlas is specialised to accommodate movement of the head
Articulates with the head
lacks a vertebral body
ring shaped (when viewed from above)
articular facet for the occipital condyle
anterior and posterior arch
articular facet for the dens.
Describe how the axis is specialised to accommodate movement of the head
Large tooth like dens (odontoid process)
large superior articular facet
slightly longer spinous process
characteristics of thoracic vertebrae
Vertebral body is heart shaped (when viewed from above)
short pedicles
articular costal facets (for articulation with the ribs), long transverse process, vertebral foramen is circular
long downward sloping spinous process
smaller vertebral (neural) canal
characteristics of lumbar vertebrae
Larger in size; with the exception of the 5th vertebrae
the transverse processes are short and thin (5th being short and stout)
vertebral body is cylindrical
vertebral foramen is large and triangular
horizontal spinous processes
larger vertebral (neural) canal
Name the different joints present between the vertebral bodies
Symphyses between vertebral bodies (intervertebral discs)
The Uncovertebral Joints (Joints of Luschka)
Posterior Joints
Zygapophyseal/ facet joints
The Atlanto-Occipital Joint (Occ/C1)
The Lateral Atlantoaxial Joints
The Median Atlantoaxial Joint
describe Symphyses between vertebral bodies (intervertebral discs)
formed by a layer of hyaline cartilage on each vertebral body and an intervertebral disc.
what does a vertebral disc consist of?
The disc consists of an outer annulus and nucleus pulposus.
describe the size of intervertebral discs depending on their location
They increase in size inferiorly
describe The Uncovertebral Joints (Joints of Luschka)
Small synovial joints found in the cervical region. They are surrounded by a capsule
where are uncovertebral joint found?
Cervical spine between the lateral parts of the adjacent vertebral bodies
describe the articulation points in the uncovertebral joints
The lateral edges of the inferior vertebrae are lipped and fit the bevelled edges of the vertebra above. The cartilage-covered superior and inferior articular surfaces face inferolaterally and superomedially, respectively.
