Lumbar Vertebra Flashcards
Which segments of the spine are more prone to variation in morphology?
L1 & L5
What parts of the vertebra may be used to distinguish L1-L4 from L5?
Vertebral body Pedicle Articular process Transverse process Spinous process
What is the generic shape of the typical lumbar vertebral body from the cranial view?
Reniform or kidney-shaped
What would be the direction of the lumbar curve based on osseous features?
Anterior (lordotic)
What accounts for the direction of the lumbar curve?
Vertebral body and intervertebral disc have a greater anterior height than posterior height
What is the effect of aging on the vertebral body of a lumbar vertebra?
Decrease in height & increase in circumference
How many fibrous (amphiarthrosis) syndesmosis joint surfaces are on a typical lumbar vertebral body?
4
How many joint surfaces are present on a vertebral body of a typical lumbar?
6
How many synovial joint surfaces are present on the vertebral body of a typical lumbar?
None
How many cartilaginous (amphiarthrosis) symphysis joint surfaces are on a typical lumbar vertebral body?
2
How many fibrous (amphiarthrosis) syndesmosis joint surfaces are on a typical lumbar vertebral body?
4
What muscles may attach to the first lumbar vertebral body?
Psoas major
Psoas minor
What muscle may attach from the second down to the fourth lumbar vertebral body?
Psoas major
Psoas minor will only attach to the vertebral body of which segments?
T12
L1
What is the name given to ligaments that attach the vertebral body to articular process?
Transforaminal ligaments
What ligaments attach the vertebral body to the transverse process?
Corporotransverse ligaments
What corporotransverse ligaments are identified?
Superior corporotransverse
Inferior corporotransverse
What are the types of Hofmann ligaments?
Anterior
Posterior
Lateral
Proximal root sleeve
Hofmann ligaments are identified in which regions along the vertebral column?
Cervical - upper thoracics
Lumbars
Cervical - upper thoracic Hofmann ligaments will attach what structures together?
Dura mater to segments above
What is the highest level known to demonstrate Hofmann ligaments?
C6
What is the proposed function of the cervical-upper thoracic Hoffmann ligaments?
Resist caudal movement of the dural sac
Resist gravitational forces on the dura and cord
Lumbar Hofmann ligaments will attach what structures together?
Dura mater to lower segmental levels
What is the proposed function of the lumbar Hofmann ligaments?
Resist cranial movement of the dural sac during flexion
What is the proposed function of the proximal root sleeve ligament?
Resist displacement of the peripheral nerve system in the intervertebral foramen
What is the orientation of the pedicle of a typical lumbar?
Posterior
The pedicle attaches at what location on vertebral body of a typical lumbar?
Upper third or half of the vertebral body
What ligament attaches to the lamina of a typical lumbar?
Ligamentum flavum
What joint classification will be associated with the ligamentum flavum attachment?
Fibrous (amphiarthrosis) syndesmosis
What osseous conditions of lumbar vertebrae facilitate a spinal tap in this region?
Overlap of the laminae - shingling - diminishes
Overlap of spinous processes - imbrication - diminishes
What is the outline of the vertebral foramen of a typical lumbar vertebra?
Triangular
Which is the greatest diameter of the vertebral foramen of typical lumbars?
Transverse
How does the size of the vertebral foramen differ along the spine?
Cervicals have the greatest size, lumbars next, thoracics smallest
What part of the central nervous system is present in the lumbar spine?
Conus medullaris is typically present in the vertebral foramen of L1
What part of the peripheral nervous system is present in the lumbar spine?
Cauda equina is typically present in the vertebral foramina of L2-L4
Beginning with the L1 transverse process, what is the generic direction and relative length of each succeeding lumbar transverse process?
Each transverse process is directed straight lateral and increases in length from L1-L3. L4 then begins to decrease in length
What is the name of the elevation near the origin of the lumbar transverse process?
Accessory process
A styloid process occurs with what frequency and as a result of what condition?
7% occurrence as a result of congenital elongation of the lumbar accessory process
What ligament will attach to the lumbar accessory process?
Mammillo-accessory ligament
What parts of the vertebra are attached via the mammillo-accessory ligament?
Mammillary process and accessory process of the same ligament
What was believed to be entrapped by the mammillo-accessory ligament?
Medial branch of the dorsal ramus of a lumbar spinal nerve
What muscles attach to the lumbar accessory process?
Longissimus thoracis
Intertransversarii
What muscles mat attach to the trasnverse process of a typical lumbar vertebra?
Psoas major Quadratus lumborum Longissimus thoracis Rotator brevis Rotator longus Intertransversarii
What ligaments attach to the transverse process of a typical lumbar vertebra?
Lumbocostal
Mammillo-accessory
Intertransverse
What joint classifications are present at the transverse process of a typical lumbar?
Fibrous (amphiarthrosis) syndesmosis
What are the posterior elements of the vertebra?
Zygapophysis
Lamina
Spinous process
What are the anterior elements of the vertebra?
Vertebral body
Pedicle
What is the orientation of the typical lumbar superior articular facet?
Backward, upward, medial (BUM)
Typically concave
What is the orientation of the typical lumbar inferior articular facet?
Forward, lateral, downward (FoLD)
Significant convexity
What muscles will attach to the mammillary process?
Multifidis
Intertransversarii
What ligament will attach to the lumbar superior process and transverse process?
Mammillo-accessory ligament
What was believed to be entrapped by the mammillo-accessory ligament?
Medial branch of the dorsal ramus of a lumbar spinal nerve
What additional ligaments are said to attach to lumbar articular process?
Transforaminal ligaments
What is the joint classification for the typical lumbar zygapophysis?
Synovial plane (diarthrosis arthrodia)
How many synovial joints are present on a typical lumbar vertebra?
4
What is the position of the lumbar zygapophysis in children?
Lies in the coronal plane
What is the position of the lumbar zygapophysis in the adult?
Sagittal plane for L1/L2, L2/L3, and L3/L4
Coronal plane for L4/L5 and L5/S1
What is the name given to the zygapophysis between vertebral couples that lie in the same plane?
Joint symmetry
What names are given tot eh condition in which one zygapophysis of a vertebral couple lies in the coronal plane or position and the other zygapophysis lies in the sagittal plane or position?
Joint asymmetry or joint tropism
Define or describe joint tropism
Condition in which one zygapophysis of a vertebral couple lies in the coronal plane or position and the other zygapophysis lies in the sagittal plane or position
What is the name of the condition in which the typical lumbar spinous process increases in length due to the aging process?
Baastrup’s syndrome or “kissing spines”
What muscles will attach to the typical lumbar spinous process?
Latissimus dorsi Serratus posterior inferior Iliocostalis lumborum Longissimus thoracis Spinalis thoracis Multifidis Rotator longus Rotator brevis Interspinalis
What is the appearance of the fifth lumbar vertebral body from the lateral view?
Anterior height is greater than the posterior height by several millimeters; it appears to form a wedge on a lateral X-ray view
How many synovial joint surfaces are present at the fifth lumbar vertebral body?
None
How many fibrous (amphiarthrosis) syndesmosis joint surfaces are present on the L5 vertebral body?
4
How many joint surfaces are present on the vertebral body of the fifth lumbar?
6
How mnay cartilaginous (amphiarthrosis) symphysis joint surfaces are present on the vertebral body of L5?
2
What muscle will attach to the fifth lumbar vertebral body?
Psoas major
What are the attachment sites of the superior corporotransverse ligaments at the L4-L5 intervertebral foramen?
L4 vertebral body and L4-L5 intervertebral disc to the transverse process of L5
What are the attachment sites of the inferior corporotransverse ligaments at the L4-L5 intervertebral foramen?
L5 vertebral body and L5-S1 intervertebral disc to the transverse process of L5
What characteristic of the L1-L4 pedicle mat be used to differentiate it from the L5 segment?
On cranial view, the lateral surface of the pedicle is apparent on a L1-L4 segment. At L5 the transverse process originates from the vertebral body, pedicle and lamina-pedicle region
What is the generic direction and length of the fifth lumbar transverse process?
It is directed straight lateral and is the shortest of all lumbar transverse plane
What accounts for the shortness of the L5 transverse process?
The innominate bones diminish the available space in the transverse plane
What parts of the lumbar transverse are homologus to the cervical transverse process parts?
L transverse tubercle = C anterior tubercle
L transverse process = C costal element
L accessory process = C posterior tubercle
L transverse process origin = C true transverse process
What muscles may attach to the transverse process of the fifth thoracic vertebra?
Psoas major Quadratus lumborum Longissimus thoracis Rotator brevis Rotator longus Intertrasnversarii
What ligaments traditionally attach to the transverse process of the fifth lumbar vertebra?
Lumbosacral
Iliolumbar
Mammillo-accessory
What is the orientation of the fifth lumbar superior articular facet?
Backward, upward, medial (BUM)
Typically concave
What is the orientation of the fifth lumbar inferior articular facet?
Forward, lateral, downward (FoLD)
Significant convexity
What is the name given to the congenital condition in which the fifth lumbar spinous process is elongated, the sacrum exhibits spina bifida, and dorsiflexion produces pain?
Knife Clasp Syndrome
What muscles will attach to the fifth lumbar spinous process?
Latissimus dorsi Iliocostalis lumborum Longissimus thoracis Multifidis Rotator longus Rotator brevis Interspinalis
How many synovial joints are maximally observed at each lumbar vertebra?
L1-L5 = 4 each
How many joints are traditionally observed at each lumbar vertebral body?
L1-L5 = 6 each
What is the inferior articular facet orientation at each lumbar vertebra?
L1-L5 = forward, downward, lateral (FoLD)
