Cervical Spine Flashcards

1
Q

How many vertebrae in an adult?

A

26

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2
Q

How many vertebrae in a child?

A

33

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3
Q

What many intervertebral discs?

A

23

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4
Q

What percentage of the spine’s height is from the intervertebral discs?

A

25%

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5
Q

What is the spine’s primary curve?

A

Kyphosis

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6
Q

What is the spine’s secondary curve?

A

Lordosis

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7
Q

In which regions of the spine do you find the primary curves?

A

Thoracic and Sacral

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8
Q

In which regions of the spine do you find the secondary curves?

A

Cervical and Lumbar

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9
Q

How many segments present in the cervical, thoracic, lumbar regions?

A

7,12,5

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10
Q

True or False: Cervical vertebral bodies are wider side to side that AP

A

True

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11
Q

True or False: Cervial vertebral bodies have superior and inferior endplates

A

True

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12
Q

True or False: Inferior endplates are convex side to side

A

True

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13
Q

True or False: Inferior endplates are concave AP

A

True

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14
Q

What is the purpose of the uncovertebral joint?

A

Stabilize lateral flexion

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15
Q

What creates the uncoverterbal joints?

A

Uncinate processes

Semi-lunar Facet

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16
Q

From what degree to sagittal are the pedicles of the cervical vertebrae?

A

45

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17
Q

To which structure do the pedicles connect the vertebral body?

A

Articular pillars

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18
Q

In the cervical spine, what do the pedicles help create?

A

Bottom boundary of intervertebral foramen

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19
Q

How are the pedicles of the cervical spine different from the pedicles in the thoracic or lumbar spines?

A

Pedicles are circular - thoracic and lumbar pedicles are more ovoid

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20
Q

What shape are the transverse processes in the cervical spine?

A

Half-pipe shaped

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21
Q

What degree to sagittal are the transverse processes in the cervical spine?

A

60 degrees sagittal

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22
Q

What degree to transverse are the transverse processes in the cervical spine?

A

15 degrees transverse

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23
Q

What is another name for the uncovertebral joint?

A

Luschka Joint (joint of von luschka)

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24
Q

If disc height decreases at the uncovertebral joints, what is likely to start forming?

A

Osteophytes

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25
Q

From where does the anterior root of the transverse processes arise?

A

Vertebral body

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26
Q

From where does the posterior root of the transverse process arise?

A

Articular pillar or pedicle

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27
Q

What purpose do the tubercles serve on the transverse processes of the cervical vertebra?

A

Attachment sites for ligaments and muscles

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28
Q

What does the transverse foramen house within the cervical spine?

A

Vertebral Artery

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29
Q

What is the posterior ponticle?

A

The bony bridge on the atlas that covers the groove for the vertebral artery

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30
Q

The articular pillars transition into what two other landmarks in the thoracic and lumbar spines?

A

Superior articular process

Inferior articular process

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31
Q

Describe the directionality of the cervical facet joints.

A

Facet joints are 45 degrees to the transverse plane
The superior facet joint faces upward and posterior
The inferior facet joint face anterior and downward

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32
Q

At what degree to transverse are the facet joints in the cervical spine

A

45 degrees to transverse

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33
Q

What is a zygaphoysial joint?

A

Facet joints

34
Q

What is another term for the facet joints?

A

Zygaphoysial Joints (z-joints)

35
Q

What radiographic junction is created by the lamina?

A

Spinolaminar junction

36
Q

Describe the shape of a lamina

A

Elongated oval

37
Q

What is unique about the cervical spinous processes of the cervical vertebrae?

A

Bifid for muscle attachment

38
Q

True or False: the spinous process of the cervical vertebrae have a slight downward angle relative to the VB

A

True

39
Q

What is the AP dimension of the central canal of c1

A

16mm

40
Q

What is the AP dimension of the central canal of c2

A

14mm

41
Q

What is the AP dimension of the central canal of c3

A

13mm

42
Q

What is the AP dimension of the central canal of c4-c7

A

12mm

43
Q

Describe Torg’s ratio.

A

The AP dimension of the central canal should be roughly 80% the diameter of the vertebral body of the vertebra.

44
Q

What are the divisions of the atlas?

A

Anterior arch
Posterior arch
Lateral Mass

45
Q

Which tubercle is located on the anterior arch of the atlas?

A

Anterior tubecle

46
Q

What is posterior to the anterior tubercle?

A

Fovea Dens

47
Q

What articulates with the odontoid process of c2?

A

Fovea dens

48
Q

The fovea dens articulates with what portion of the axis?

A

Odontoid process

49
Q

What articulates with the lateral masses of the atlas?

A

Occiput

50
Q

Do the lateral masses have a convexity or concavity?

A

Concavity

51
Q

True or false: the lateral masses are oval, sometimes waisted, with a long axis and angle inward

A

True

52
Q

In which direction do the lateral masses slope?

A

From lateral to medial

53
Q

True or false: the lateral masses have a tubercle for the transverse ligament

A

True

54
Q

True or false: the posterior arch is larger than the anterior arch

A

True

55
Q

What is accommodated by the groove of the posterior arch?

A

Vertebral artery
Vertebral vein
1st cervical nerve

56
Q

True or false: the posterior arch is most commonly fractured

A

True

57
Q

What are the thirds in Steele’s law of thirds?

A

Spinal cord
Dens
Space

58
Q

What divides the anterior 1/3 from the posterior 2/3 in the central canal?

A

Transverse ligament

59
Q

What other purpose does the transverse ligament serve?

A

Stabilizes c1 and c2

60
Q

What is another name for the axis?

A

Epistropheus

61
Q

True or false: Superior portion of the axis is atypical and the inferior portion of the axis is typical.

A

True

62
Q

True or false: the body of the axis is thicker top to bottom than AP

A

True

63
Q

What would the odontoid process of the axis have been?

A

Body of c1

64
Q

What is the purpose of the odontoid process of the axis?

A

Creates an axial pivot point for c1

65
Q

True or false: the odontoid process tapers at the base for the transverse ligament

A

True

66
Q

Which portion of the odontoid process of the axis articulates with the fovea dens of the atlas?

A

Anterior

67
Q

Describe the pedicles of the axis

A

Short and stout
Notched inferiorly for IVF
Covered by superior facets

68
Q

True or false: the c2 laminae are the largest in the cervical spine

A

True

69
Q

What does the groove behind the superior facet accommodate?

A

C2 peripheral nerve

70
Q

How do the transverse processes of the axis differ from those of c3-c7?

A

They are not bifid - only a single tubercle

71
Q

True or false: the transverse processes of the axis project laterally and angle downward

A

True

72
Q

True or false: the axis does not have articular pillars

A

True

73
Q

Describe the region of the pars interarticularis of the axis

A

In-between the superior facet and inferior facet

74
Q

True or false: the superior facet of the axis is anterior and the inferior facet of the axis is posterior

A

True

75
Q

Describe the orientation of the superior facet of the axis

A

Anterior, facing upward and lateral

76
Q

Describe the orientation of the inferior facet of the axis

A

Posterior, facing downward and lateral

77
Q

True or false: the spinous process of the axis is the largest in the cervical spine

A

True

78
Q

What cervical spinous process is referred to as the vertebra prominens?

A

C7

79
Q

True or false: c7 has the second largest transverse processes of the cervical spine

A

True

80
Q

What is missing from the transverse process of c7?

A

Anterior tubercle

81
Q

The foramen of c7 transverse process is small and contains what?

A

Only the vertebral vein