Spinal Anatomy Flashcards
Osteology
study of the bones/skeleton
Vertebral column in Adult humans
24 vertebrae with a sacrum and coccyx, other bones associated with it are the occipital, temporal bones of skull, 12 pairs of ribs and the sternum
Vertebral column functions
flexible central column, supports head/viscera, suspends upper extremities, body shape, transfers weight, stabilizes body, absorbs forces
Regions of Vert. Column
Cervical - 7 vertebrae, Thoracic - 12 vertebrae, Lumbar - 5 vertebrae, Sacrum - 5 fused vertebrae, Coccyx - 5 fused vertebrae
Curves of the spine
Lordotic - concavity faces posterior
Kyphotic - concavity faces anteriorly, has primary (present at birth) and secondary curves (develop after birth due to musculature and lifting head, sitting walking)
Scoliotic Curve
lateral curve in the coronal plane. Names for the side of the convexity (hump) looking from a posterior view
Names of some abnormal curves
lordosis, kyphosis, scoliosis, straight or military
Functions of the curve
compensate for upright posture of a human, helps absorb forces placed on vert. column, compensate for assymetrical structure and function
Features of Typical Vertebrae
body, vertebral arch containing 2 pedicles, 2 laminae, 7 processes, vertebral foramen, vertebral notches creating the intervertebral canal, pars interarticularis
Zygapophyseal joint
articulation of the Superior Articular facet and the Inferior Articular facet on the SAP and IAP
Occiput
foramen magnum - the spinal cord to brain transition, meninges - dura mater anchored to margin of foramen, vertebral arteries (paired), continuous inferiorly to vertebral canal, external occipital proturberance, jugular and paramastoid proces, mastoid process
3 Part of the Occiput
Basilar, Condylar and Scuamous
Occipital Condyles
lateral to foramen, have articular facets on inferior part for C1 and the tubercles on the medial suface for the alar ligament
Nuchal Lines
on squamous external suface, superior nuchal lines is the insertion of traps, Sternoclavicleomastoid and splenius capitis muscles, inferior nuchal lines is rectus capitis posterior major and minor and obliquus capitis superior, median nuchal line, median nuchal line
Cervical Vertebrae 2 funtional groups
suboccipital (C1 - C2) - providing rotation and flexion and extension of neck, inferior (C3-C7) - allowing for flexion/ext and lateral flex/ext.
Typical Cervical vertebrae
(C3-C6), small flattened body, joint of Luschka - uncinate process and semi-lunar facet, short bifid S.P., articular pillar with IAP and SAP, facet of SAP faces Sup. Post. and Medial., facet of IAP faces Inf. Ant. and Lat., TP are short bifid with an Ant. tubercle - costal, and a Post. tubercle, these create a groove for the spinal nerves, transverse foramen transmit vertebral artery, IVF faces slight ant., slight inf and later.
IVF Border of typical Cervical
IVD, adjacent vert. bodies, joint of Luschka, adjacent pedicles and zygapophyseal joint
Atypical Cervical Vertebrae
Atlas, Axis and C7
Atlas
no body present, ant. and post. arch instead, no spinous process, lare lateral masses where IAP and SAP extend from, widest vertebral neck, anterior arch has ant. tubercle exterior side and fovea dentalis on interal side, post arch has post. tubercle and sulcus for vertebral artery, SA facets are large, elongated and concave, larget vert. foramen
Axis
has odontoid process = dens instead of body, allows for atlas to rotate around on axis, ant. facet of dens articulates with the fovea dentalis, post facet articulates with transverse ligament (cruciate ligament), SA facet is large and face sup., IA facet is oblique like typical cerv. vert., strongest and thickest cervical vertebrae, no uncinate processes but has semi-lunar facet, most deeply bifid SP of spine
C7
transitional vertebrae, SP is long and sloping but not bifid, has one large tubercle on it, vertebral prominens - most easily palpated SP, joint of Luschka exits sup. but not inf. vestigal or absent ant. tubercle, IA facet are like thoracic region facing coronally.
Occipitalization
C1 has partially or completely fused to C0
Atlanto-Occipital ponticulum
narrow bridge or column bone that connects the atlas to the occiput
Carotid tubercle
Ant. tubercle of TP on C6, longest of cervical spine and common carotid artery
Thoracic Vertebrae
Typical (T2-T9), Atypical (T1, T10-T12)
Typical Thoracic Vertebrae
(T2-T9) has body, heart shaped and is thicker dorsally creating kyphotic curve in spine at the region, sup. and inf. costovertebral demi-facets articulate with head of ribs, small circular vert. foramen, SAP extends from pedicle and IAP from the laminae, SA facet is post. in coronal and IA facet is ant. in coronal, TP large and sloped and has costotransverse facets, IVF oriented laterally, inf. notch > sup. notch, rib head is just ant to notch
IVF Border of the Thoracic Vertebrae
sup. and inf. vert. notches, adjacent vert. bodies, IVD, zygapophyseal joint, rid head, demi-facets, adjacent pedicles
Atypical
T1 - mostly resembles T segment, body resembles C vert., has a full costovertebral facet (for 1st rib) and a demi-facet, contributes to vertebral prominens
T10- demi-facets for 10th ribs superior but none for 11th
T11- large body and lumbar like, not heart shaped, complete CV facet for 11th rib, no costotransverse facet, SP is short and rectangular
T12- same as T11 except IA facet faces laterally like lumbar, TP has 3 processes - Mamillay, Accesory Mamillary, and Lateral
Lumbar Vertebrae
Typical (L1-L4) and Atypical (L5)
Typical Lumber Vertebrae
largest moveable segments, large body in shape of kidney, vert. foramen is intermediate & triangular shaped, SP stout and rectangular (common site of spina bifida), facets of AP are in sagittal orientation, mamiallry process and accessory mamillary process, TP is long and slondor and points horizontal, largest IVF with larger Inf. notch than Sup., lateral recess!
Atypical Lumbar Vertebrae
IA facets face anterior and lateral, body shortest and widest of all lumbars, small SP, common site for spondyloschisis, spondylolysis, spondylosynthesis
spondyloschisis
fissure, cleft or split of the SP also known as spina bifida
spondyloschisis
to dissolve or break apart at pars interarticularis
spondylolysis
splitting/displacement of vertebrae from it normal alignment
lumbarization
anomoly where the S1 if the sacrum does not fuse and remains another lumbar like vertebrae
sacralization
anomoly where L5 or C1 are fused to the sacrum usually seen by having another dorsal and ventral foramen in the sacrum
tropism
assymetry of facet planes within a segment
causa equina
after the spinal nerve ends at L1 or L2 it turns into a multiple of many spinal nerve wrapped into one
IVF Border of the Lumber Vertebrae
adjacent vert. bodies, IVD, pedicles, Vert. notches, Zygapophyseal joint and IAP and SAP
Sacrum descriptors
linked with pelvic girdle via sacro-iliac joint, 5 fused segments forming wedge-shaped structures, specialized for transfer of weight and body through pelvis, concave anteriorly, from roof of pelvic cavity
Sacrum Osteology
base, apex, sacral canal, sacral hiatus, sacral cornu, transverse lines, dorsal and ventral foramen, median intermediate and lateral sacral crests, pars lateralis, auricular surface, sacral tuberosity, SAP at base with facets facing post., promontory