Exam 1 - Organization of the Vertebra

Question 1

What are the three basic osseous parts of a vertebra?

Answer 1

the vertebral body
vertebral arch
apophyseal regions

Question 2

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

Answer 2

cervical - rectagular
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 names of the openings found around the margins of the vertebral body?

Answer 5

nutrient foramina 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 given to the posterior part of the vertebral arch?

Answer 8

the lamina

Question 9

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

Answer 9

the superior vertebral notch / superior vertebral incisure

the inferior vertebral notch / inferior vertebral incisure

Question 10

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

Answer 10

Cervical - posterolateral
Thoracic - posterior, slight lateral
Lumbar - posterior

Question 11

All lamina are oriented in what direction?

Answer 11

posterior and median

Question 12

What is the name given to the overlap of laminae seen on X-ray?

Answer 12

shingling

Question 13

What ligament will attach to the lamina?

Answer 13

the ligamentum flavum

Question 14

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

Answer 14

para-articular process

Question 15

What classification of bone will para-articular processes represent?

Answer 15

accessory bone

Question 16

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

Answer 16

cervical - articular pillar

thoracic and lumbar - pars interarticularis

Question 17

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

Answer 17

spinolaminar junction

Question 18

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

Answer 18

the apophyseal regions

Question 19

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

Answer 19

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

Question 20

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

Answer 20

cervical - anterolateral
thoracic - posterolateral
lumbar - lateral

Question 21

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

Answer 21

the costal element

Question 22

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

Answer 22

cervical spinal nerves are pulleed forward and downward to form the cervical and brachial plexuses thus remodeling the transverse process to accommodate their new position

Question 23

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

Answer 23

the growth of the lungs remodel the shape of the ribs which in turn push the trasverse processes backwards

Question 24

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

Answer 24

the zygapophysis

Question 25

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

Answer 25

the superior articular facet

Question 26

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

Answer 26

the inferior articular facet

Question 27

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

Answer 27

pre-zygapophysis

Question 28

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

Answer 28

post-zygapophysis

Question 29

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

Answer 29

the superior articular process / superior articular apophsis

Question 30

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

Answer 30

the inferior articular process / inferior articular apophysis

Question 31

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

Answer 31

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

Question 32

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

Answer 32

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

Question 33

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

Answer 33

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

Question 34

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

Answer 34

imbrication

Question 35

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

Answer 35

the spinous tubercle

Question 36

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

Answer 36

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