General Organization of a Vertebra Flashcards
What are the three basic osseous parts of a vertebra?
The vertebral body, vertebral arch, and the apophyseal regions
What is the general shape of the vertebral body at each region of the spine?
Cervical- Rectangular
Thoracic- Triangular
Lumbar- Reniform
What is the name given to the compact bone at the superior and inferior surfaces of the vertebral body?
Superior epiphyseal rim, inferior epiphyseal rim
What is the name given to the cartilage found at the superior and inferior surface of a developing vertebral body?
Superior epiphyseal plate, inferior epiphyseal plate
What are the names given to the openings found around the margins of the vertebral body?
Nutrient foramina or vascular foramina
What large opening is usually observed at the back of the vertebral body?
Basivertebral Venous Foramen
What is the name of the feature located at the upper and lower surfaces of the pedicle?
The superior vertebral notch or superior vertebral incisure
The inferior vertebral notch or inferior vertebral incisure
What is the name given to the anterior part of the vertebral arch?
The pedicle
All lamina are oriented in what direction?
Posterior and median
What is the given to the overlap of laminae seen on an X-ray?
Shingling
What ligament will attach to the lamina?
The ligamentum Flavum
What is the name given to abnormal bone at the attachment site of the ligamentum flavum?
Para articular process
The classification of bone will para-articular processes represent?
Accessory bone
What is the name given to the lamina - pedicle junction at each region of the spine?
Cervical - articular pillar; thoracic and lumbar - pars interartiularis
What is the name given to the junction of the vertebral arch - spinous process on a lateral x-ray?
The spinolaminar junction
What is the name given to the tubular bone growth regions of the vertebral arch?
The apophyseal regions
What names may be given to each apophysis of the spine?
The transverse apophysis or transverse processes, articular apophysis or articular process; spinous apophysis or spinous process
What is the generic orientation of the transverse process or transverse apophysis at each region of the spine?
Cervical- anterolateral
Thoracic- posterolateral
Lumbar- lateral
All non-rib-bearing vertebra of the spine retain what equivalent feature?
The costal element
What will cause the transverse process/transverse apophysis to alter its initial direction in the cervical region?
Cervical spinal nerves are pulled forward and downward to form the cervical and brachial nerve plexus thus remodeling the transverse process to accommodate their new position
What will cause the transverse process/transverse apophysis to alter its initial direction in the thoracic region?
The growth of the lungs remodel the shape of the ribs which in turn push the transverse processes backward
What is the name given to the joint formed between articular facets of a vertebral couple?
The zygapophysis
What is the name given to the bone surface at the front of a zygapophysis?
The superior articular facet
What is the name given to the bone surface at the back of a zygapophysis?
The inferior articular facet
In the vertebral column, the part of the vertebra which lies anterior to to the zygapophysis is called the ___?
pre-zygapophysis
In the vertebral column, the part of the vertebra which lies posterior to the zygapophysis is called the ____?
Post-zygapophysis
What is the name given to the part of the vertebra forming the pre-zygapophysis?
The superior articular process or superior articular apophysis
What is the name given to the part of the vertebra forming the post-zygapophysis?
The inferior articular process or inferior articular apophysis
What will form the posterior boundary of a typical intervertebral foramen?
The inferior articular process/post-zygapophysis, the superior articular process/pre-zygapophysis, the capsular ligament and the ligamentum flavum
What will form the anterior boundary of the typical intervertebral foramen?
The vertebral body of the segment above, the vertebral body of the segment below, the intervertebral disc, and the posterior longitudinal ligament
What is the method of calculating the angle of the spinous process/spinous apophysis?
Calculate the angle formed between the undersurface of the spinous process/spinous apophysis and horizontal plane
What is the name given to the normal overlap of spinous process or spinous apophyses as seen on x-ray?
Imbrication
What is the name given to the rounded elevation at the tip of the spinous process/spinous apophysis?
The spinous tubercle
What is the orientation of the spinous process/ spinous apophysis at each region of the spine?
Cervical- Slightly inferiorly
Thoracic- Noticeable angle inferiorly
Lumbar- no inferior angle
What is the typical shape/outline of the vertebral foramen at each region of the spinal column/vertebral column?
Cervical- Triangular
Thoracic- Oval
Lumbar- Triangular
Sacral- Triangular
At what vertebral level will the spinal cord typically terminate?
L1
At what vertebral level will the dural sac typically terminate?
S2
Which segmental arteries will arise from the internal iliac artery?
the iliolumbar and lateral sacral arteries
Identify all segmental arteries
Vertebral, ascending cervical, deep cervical, superior (highest) intercostal, posterior intercostal, subcostal, lumbar, iliolumbar, lateral sacral and median (middle) sacral
What are the segmental arteries of the cervical spine?
The vertebral artery, ascending cervical artery and deep cervical artery
What are the segmental arteries of the thoracic spine?
The deep cervical artery, superior (highest) intercostal artery, posterior intercostal artery and subcostal artery
What are the segmental arteries of the lumbar spine?
The lumbar arteries, iliolumbar artery, lateral sacral artery, and median (middle) sacral artery
What are the segmental arteries of the fifth lumbar vertebra?
The iliolumbar artery, lateral sacral artery, and median (middle) sacral artery
What are the segmental arteries of the sacrum?
iliolumbar artery, Lateral sacral artery and median (middle) sacral artery
What segmental levels are supplied by the vertebral artery?
C1-C6
What segmental levels are supplied by the ascending cervical artery?
C1-C6
What segmental levels are supplied by the deep cervical artery?
C7-T1
What segmental levels are supplied by the superior (highest) intercostal artery?
T1, T2
What segmental levels are supplied by the posterior intercostal artery?
T3-T11
What segmental level(s) is/are supplied by the subcostal artery?
T12
What segmental levels are supplied by the lumbar arteries?
L1-L4
What segmental levels are supplied by the median (middle) sacral artery?
L5, S1-S5, Coccyx
What segmental levels are supplied by the iliolumbar artery?
L5, S1-S5, Coccyx
What segmental level(s) is/are supplied by the lateral sacral artery?
L5, S1-S5, Coccyx
What vertebra has the highest number of segmental arteries associated with it?
L5
What segmental arteries for L5?
Iliolumbar artery, Median (Middle) sacral artery, and lateral sacral artery
What branch of the segmental artery supplies the vertebra and the paravertebral region?
Dorsospinal artery
Which artery is primarily observed in the distal part of the intervertebral foramen?
Spinal artery
What are the branches of the spinal artery?
Osseous artery, anterior spinal canal artery, posterior spinal canal artery, anterior medullary feeder artery, posterior medullary feeder artery, anterior radicular artery, posterior radicular artery
Which branches of the spinal artery supply the contents of the epidural space?
Osseous arteries, anterior spinal canal artery, posterior spinal canal artery
What arteries are observed in the epidural space near the posterior longitudinal ligament?
Anterior spinal canal artery & plexus
What arteries are observe in the epidural space near the ligamentum flavum?
Posterior spinal canal artery & plexus
Which branches of the spinal artery supply the contents of the subarachnoid space?
Anterior radicular artery, posterior radicular artery, anterior medullary feeder artery, posterior medullary feeder artery
Which vessel will supply the ventral/anterior nerve rootlets and nerve root?
Anterior radicular artery
Which vessel will supply the dorsal/posterior nerve rootlets, nerve root, and nerve root ganglion?
Posterior radicular artery
Which artery is now said to enlarge and form the medullary feeder artery?
The radicular artery
What is the location and number of medullary feeder arteries present in the adult?
9 anterior and 12 posterior medullary feeder arteries
The anterior spinal artery is a branch from which artery?
The vertebral artery
Is the anterior spinal artery a single, continuous artery along the spinal cord?
NO
As the anterior spinal artery continues along the spinal cord, which arteries unite along its length to give the appearance of a single continuous vessel?
Anterior medullary feeder arteries
The posterior spinal artery is a branch of which artery?
The posterior inferior cerebellar artery
What is the position of the posterior spinal artery relative to the spinal cord?
It lies in the posterolateral sulcus along the spinal cord
As the posterior spinal artery continues along the spinal cord, which arteries unite along its length to give the appearance of a single continuous vessel?
Posterior medullary feeder arteries
What forms the arterial vasa corona above C3?
Right and left spinal arteries, right and left posterior spinal arteries, and 4 communicating arteries
What forms the arterial vasa corona below C6?
A median anterior spinal artery, right and left posterior spinal arteries, and 3 communicating arteries
What is the generic name given to the arteries that penetrate the spinal cord?
Intramedullary arteries
What are the intramedullary branches of the arterial vasa corona?
Pial perforating arteries and central/ventral/sulcal perforating arteries
what artery gives off the ventral/sulcal/central perforating arteries?
The anterior spinal artery
What arteries are responsible for supplementing the arterial vasa corona along the cord
Anterior medullary feeders and posterior medullary feeders
What vessels drain the spinal cord?
Pial veins
What will pial veins drain into?
Venous Vasa Corona
Which vessels form the venous vasa corona?
Right and left anterior longitudinal veins, right and left posterior longitudinal veins, and 4 communicating veins
Which vessels will drain the venous vasa corona?
Anterior medullary veins, posterior medullary veins
Which vessels will drain the ventral/anterior nerve roots?
Anterior radicular veins
What vessels will drain the dorsal/posterior nerve root ganglion?
Posterior radicular veins
What veins will lie in the subarachnoid space?
Pial veins, venous vasa corona, anterior longitudinal veins, posterior longitudinal veins, communicating veins, anterior medullary veins, posterior medullary veins, anterior radicular veins, posterior radicular veins
What veins are observed in the epidural space near the posterior longitudinal ligament?
anterior internal vertebral venous plexus, basivertebral vein
What venous vessels are identified in the intervertebral foramen?
intervertebral veins
What veins are observed in the epidural space near the ligamentum flavum
Posterior internal vertebral venous plexus
Identify the meninges of the spinal cord (spinal medulla or medulla spinalis) and the commonly accepted meaning of each.
Dura mater- tough mother
Arachnoid mater- spider mother
Pia mater- tender or delicate mother
What is the name given to the fluid within the epidural space?
Interstitial fluid
What are the vascular contents of the epidural space?
Anterior and posterior spinal canal artery & plexus anterior and posterior internal vertebral venous plexus basivertebral vein
What are the neural contents of the epidural space?
Recurrent meningeal/sinu-vertebral/sinus vertebral nerve
What ligaments are associated with the epidural space?
Hofmann/anterior dural/ meningovertebral ligaments
Ligamentum flavum
Posterior longitudinal ligament
Which of the blood vessels of the epidural space will be found near the vertebral body?
Anterior spinal canal artery & plexus
Anterior internal vertebral venous plexus
Basivertebral vein
Which of the nerves of the epidural space will be found near the vertebral body?
recurrent meningeal/sinu-vertebral, sinus vertebral nerve
Which of the ligaments of the epidural space will be found near the vertebral body?
Posterior longitudinal ligament and Hofmann/anterior dural/meningovertebral ligaments
Which of the blood vessels of the epidural space will be found near the lamina?
Posterior spinal canal artery & plexus
Posterior internal vertebral venous plexus
Which of the nerves of the epidural space will be found near the lamina?
Recurrent meningeal/sinu-vertebral, sinus vertebral nerve
Which of the ligaments of the epidural space will be found near the lamina?
Ligamentum flavum and Hofmann/anterior dural/meningovertebral ligaments
Which meningeal space is now thought to be a potential space, not an actual space?
Subdural space - between the dura mater and arachnoid mater
Which of the contents of the epidural space are more likely located near or around the posterior longitudinal ligament?
Anterior spinal canal artery & plexus
Anterior internal vertebral venous plexus
Basivertebral vein
Recurrent meningeal/sinu-vertebral/sinus vertebral nerve
Hofmann/anterior dural/meningovertebral ligaments
Which of the contents of the epidural space will be found near the lamina?
Posterior spinal canal artery & plexus
Posterior internal vertebral venous plexus
Ligamentum flavum
recurrent meningeal/sinu-vertebral/sinus vertebral nerve
Hofmann/anterior dural/meningovertebral ligaments
What is the name given to the fluid present within the subdural space?
Serous fluid
What is the name given to the fluid with the subarachnoid space?
Cerebrospinal fuid
What ligaments may be present in the subarachnoid space?
Dentate/denticulate ligaments
What is the name given to the lateral extension of pia mater on the spinal cord?
Dentate (denticulate) ligament
What is the unique feature of veins along the spinal canal?
They lack the bicuspid valve of typical veins
