Spinal Cord Anatomy

Question 1

How many pairs of spinal nerves exist?

Answer 1

31

Question 2

What are the two enlargements of the spinal cord known as and what are they related to?

Answer 2

Cervical - related to the upper limb

Lumbar - related to the lower limb

Question 3

What is the name of the first structures which arise from the spinal cord? What do these merge to from?

Answer 3

Rootlets, which merge to form anterior and posterior roots

Question 4

At which vertebral level does the spinal cord end? What is this area known as?

Answer 4

L1/2, the conus medullaris

Question 5

Where do spinal nerve roots travel through before they become spinal nerves?

Answer 5

Subarachnoid space

Question 6

Which spinal nerve root is enlarged after passing through the intervertebral foramina?

Answer 6

Dorsal (posterior) root

Question 7

Spinal nerve roots fuse to form what?

Answer 7

Spinal nerves

Question 8

What do spinal nerves split into?

Answer 8

Anterior and posterior rami

Question 9

At which vertebral level does the dura end?

Answer 9

S2

Question 10

The spinal cord is suspended in the spinal canal by a ribbon of tissue on the lateral aspects of the cord known as what?

Answer 10

Denticulate ligament

Question 11

What is the denticulate ligament formed of?

Answer 11

Pial and arachnoid tissue

Question 12

Where does the central canal of the spinal cord open into rostrally?

Answer 12

The 4th ventricle

Question 13

In the spinal cord, white matter is split into sections known as what?

Answer 13

Anterior, posterior and 2 lateral columns (fasciculi)

Question 14

In the spinal cord, grey matter is split into anterior and posterior horns. At what spinal levels is there also a lateral horn?

Answer 14

T1-L2

Question 15

The lateral horn of the spinal cord contains what nerve fibres?

Answer 15

Preganglionic sympathetic neurones

Question 16

Which 3 groups of arteries are responsible for blood supply to the spinal cord?

Answer 16

Longitudinal arteries, segmental arteries, radicular arteries

Question 17

How many longitudinal arteries supply the spinal cord?

Answer 17

Three- 2 posterior and 1 anterior

Question 18

Where do longitudinal arteries arise from?

Answer 18

Vertebral arteries

Question 19

Which group of arteries which supply the spinal cord run the entire length of the cord?

Answer 19

Longitudinal arteries

Question 20

Where are segmental arteries derived from?

Answer 20

Vertebral, intercostal and lumbar arteries

Question 21

Where do radicular arteries travel?

Answer 21

Along dorsal and ventral roots

Question 22

Which groups of veins help to drain blood from the spinal cord?

Answer 22

Longitudinal veins, segmental veins, epidural venous plexus

Question 23

In the spinal canal, the space between the dura and bone is known as what?

Answer 23

Epidural space

Question 24

What is contained within the epidural space?

Answer 24

Adipose tissue and the epidural venous plexuses

Question 25

The spinal cord ends at the conus medullaris - what does this continue as after this point?

Answer 25

A thin connective tissue cord, the filum terminale

Question 26

Where does the filum terminale end?

Answer 26

It is anchored to the dorsum of the coccyx