Day 25 (Typical lumbar spine: L1-L4)

Question 1

What is the generic shape of the typical lumbar vertebral body from the cranial view?

Answer 1

reniform or kidney-shaped

Question 2

What accounts for the direction of the lumbar curve?

Answer 2

the vertebral body and intervertebral disc have a greater anterior height than posterior height

Question 3

How many joints surfaces are present on the vertebral body of a typical lumbar?

Answer 3

six

Question 4

How many synovial joint surfaces are present on the vertebral body of a typical lumbar?

Answer 4

none

Question 5

How many fibrous (amphiarthrosis) syndesmosis joint surfaces on a typical lumbar vertebral body?

Answer 5

four

Question 6

What muscles may attach to the first lumbar vertebral body?

Answer 6

psoas major and psoas minor

Question 7

What muscle(s) may attach from the second down to the fourth lumbar vertebral body?

Answer 7

psoas major

Question 8

Psoas minor will only attach to the vertebral body of which segments?

Answer 8

T12, L1

Question 9

What is the name given to ligaments which attach the vertebral body to articular process?

Answer 9

transforaminal ligaments

Question 10

What ligaments attach the vertebral body to the transverse process?

Answer 10

corporotransverse ligaments

Question 11

Hofmann ligaments are identified in which regions along the vertebral column?

Answer 11

cervical-upper thoracic region and lumbar region

Question 12

Cervical- upper thoracic Hofmann ligaments will attach what structures together?

Answer 12

dura mater to segments above

Question 13

What is the highest level known to demonstrate Hofmann ligaments?

Answer 13

C6

Question 14

What is the proposed function of the cervical-upper thoracic Hofmann ligaments?

Answer 14

resist caudal movement of the dural sac; resist gravitational forces on the dura and cord

Question 15

Lumbar Hofmann ligaments will attach what structures together?

Answer 15

dura mater to lower segmental levels

Question 16

What is the proposed function of the lumbar Hofmann ligaments?

Answer 16

resist cranial movement of the dural sac during flexion

Question 17

What osseous conditions of lumbar vertebrae facilitate a spinal tap in this region?

Answer 17

overlap of the laminae, shingling, diminishes;

overlap of spinous processes, imbrication, diminishes

Question 18

What is the name of the elevation near the origin of the lumbar transverse process?

Answer 18

accessory process

Question 19

A styloid process occurs with what frequency and as a result of what condition?

Answer 19

7% occurrence as a result of congenital elongation of the lumbar accessory process

Question 20

What muscle(s) attach to the lumbar accessory process?

Answer 20

longissimus thoracis and intertransversarii

Question 21

What muscles may attach to the transverse process of a typical lumbar vertebra?

Answer 21

psoas major, quadratus lumborum, longissimus thoracis, rotator brevis, rotator longus and intertransversarii