Cervical vertebrae

Question 1

typical cervical vertebra:

Answer 1

• short body, concave sup
• uncinate process = uncovertebral j
• transverse process + foramen
• spinous process short/ bifid
• triangular vertebral foramen

Question 2

atypical vertebrae: C1

Answer 2

• articulates w occiput
• sup articular facets (concave) w occipital condyles
• inf faces (flat)
• no vertebral body
• lateral masses
• ant/ post arch

Question 3

C1 ligs:

Answer 3

• transverse: holds dens to ant arch
• alar (2)
• sup/inf longitudinal bands = cruciform

Question 4

atlantodento joint: classify

Answer 4

• synovial pivot

Question 5

significance of alar lig:

Answer 5

• prevent excess rotation of atlantoaxial j

- superolateral facets on dens for lig

Question 6

cervical vertebrae: movement

Answer 6

• free flexion
• extension
• some lateral flexion
• restricted rotation

Question 7

cervical vertebrae: features to allow greatest range and variety of movement

Answer 7

• relative thickness of IV discs
• nearly horizontal orientation of articular facets
• small amount of surrounding body mass

Question 8

os odontoideum:

Answer 8

separation of dens from C2

Question 9

C7 features:

Answer 9

• long spinous process

- small/ absent transverse foramen

Question 10

cervical vertebrae: list joints

Answer 10

• atlanto occipital
• atlanto axial
• atlanto dento
• zygopophyseal
• uncovertebral
• intervertebral discs

Question 11

list all ligs incl atlantoaxial ones: (10)

Answer 11

• tectorial membrane
• transverse lig
• apical
• alar
• ant/ post longitudinal
• cruciform lig
• ligamentum flavum
• supraspinous
• ligamentum nuchae
• interspinous

Question 12

how x-rays work:

Answer 12

• if x-rays hit the film, will become blackened
• depends on how many rays are attenuated (absorbed) by structures passing through
• superimposed structures

Question 13

x-rays: list least to most attentuation

Answer 13

• air (black)
• fat
• water
• bone
• metal

Question 14

list lines in cervical spine:

Answer 14

• ant vertebral
• post vertebral (George’s line)
• spinolaminar junction
• spinous process

Question 15

normal shape of lines in cervical spine:

Answer 15

• curved, or straight

- smooth progression

Question 16

APOM cervical:

Answer 16

• ant-post open mouth

- to see C1 unobstructed

Question 17

eg. insufficient drainage of CSF:

Answer 17

• hole created to release pressure
• excess fluid drained to abdominal cavity or rarely R atrium
• catheter used

Question 18

eg. Hurler’s syndrome:

Answer 18

• mucoplysaccharidosis
• skeletal deformities
• corneal clouding
• short stature

Question 19

eg. beta-thalassemia major:

Answer 19

• mutations in beta-globin genes
• reduced/ no production of beta-globin
• RBC shorter life span, can’t carry O2 well
• expanding bone marrow
• starburst effect (erosion of cortical bone)

Question 20

eg. adenopathy:

Answer 20

enlargement of lymph nodes

Question 21

eg. Burkitt’s lymphoma:

Answer 21

lymph node cancer