The Vertebral Column

Question 1

How many vetebrae are there in the body? What are the distributions?

Answer 1

33 vertebrae:
7 cervical
12 thoracic
5 lumbar
5 sacral (fused)
4 coccygeal (lower 3 are fused)

Question 2

What are the seven processes that arise from the vertebral arch, and where do they project?

Answer 2

1 spinous process (projects posteriorly from two laminae)
2 Transverse processes (project laterally from junction of pedicle and laminae; where muscles and ligaments attaach)
4 Articular processes (project superiorly and inferiorly from vertebral arch; articulate with vertebrae above and below)

Question 3

What makes up the vertebral arch?

Answer 3

The vertebral arch is the posterior part of the vertebra and are made of two laminae (complete the arch posteriorly) and two pedicles (form the side parts or walls of vertebral arch)

Question 4

What encloses the vertebral foramen?

Answer 4

The body of the vertebra (the anterior weight bearing part) and the vertebral arch (posterior part)

Question 5

What creates the intervertebral foramina? What goes through this foramen?

Answer 5

The notches in the pedicles of the upper and lower border form the intervertebral foramina. Allows passage of spinal nerves.

Question 6

What are the movable vertebrae? How many are there?

Answer 6

Those vertebrae that are unfused (there are 24 of them: 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, and 5 lumbar)

Question 7

What vertebral region allows for the greatest range and variety of movements?

Answer 7

Cervical vertebrae

Question 8

What are the characteristic features of cervical vertebrae?

Answer 8

Bifid spinous process (splits at end, projects posteriorly)
large vertebral foramen (to give space for cervical enlargement of the cord)
Transverse process has a transverse foramen

Question 9

The transverse foramen in the cervical vertebrae allows passage of what?

Answer 9

Vertebral arteries and veins

Question 10

What are the characteristic features of the atlas?

Answer 10

Atlas (C1) lacks a body and spinous process
Possesses anterior and posterior arches
Has a lateral mass on each side with articular surfaces

Question 11

What does the lateral mass of the atlas allow connection to, above and below?

Answer 11

The lateral mass allows for articulation with the occipital condyles of the skull (above) and articulation with the axis (below)

Question 12

What is the characteristic feature of the axis?

Answer 12

Axis (C2) has the dens (or odontoid process) that projects from superior surface

Question 13

What is the spinous process of the 7th cervical vertebrae called?

Answer 13

The vertebral prominens

Question 14

What are the distinguishing features of the C7?

Answer 14

Vertebral prominens

Small transverse foramen (because it only transmits vertebral veins)

Question 15

What are the distinguishing features of thoracic vertebrae? What do they articulate with?

Answer 15

Costal facets that articulate with ribs.
Costal facets on sides of bodies for articulation with heads of ribs
Costal facets on transverse processes for articulation with tubercles of ribs

Question 16

What differs for T11 and T12 with regards to their costal facets?

Answer 16

No costal facets on transverse processes because ribs 11 and 12 tubercles don’t articulate there. Still have costal facets on bodies.

Question 17

Describe the spinous processes of thoracic vertebrae

Answer 17

Vertebrae are long and inclined downward

Question 18

Describe the vertebral foramen in the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar regions of the vertebral column.

Answer 18

The vertebral foramen is smallest in the thoracic segments and larger in the cervical and lumbar regions (to accommodate the cervical and lumbar enlargements)

Question 19

Describe the body of thoracic vertebrae from T1 to T12

Answer 19

The bodies increase in size moving downward and are heart-shaped.

Question 20

What are the defining features of the lumbar vertebrae?

Answer 20

Massive kidney shaped bodies
Thick, quadrangular spines that project posteriorly
Large vertebral foramina

Question 21

What is the sacral promontory?

Answer 21

Bulging of the anterior and upper margin of the first sacral vertebra

Question 22

What does the upper and lower border of the sacrum articulate with?

Answer 22

Upper border = Fifth lumbar vertebra

Lower border = coccyx (narrow inferior border)

Question 23

Vertebral foramina in this segment form what?

Answer 23

The sacral canal

Question 24

What is the sacral hiatus?

Answer 24

The failing to meet of the laminae of the 5th sacral vertebra at the midline. Nerve roots come out of the sacral hiatus

Question 25

What passes through the foramina of the sacrum?

Answer 25

The upper four sacral nerves pass through the foramina.
Foramina are on the anterior and posterior surfaces to allow passage of the ventral and dorsal rami of the upper four sacral nerves.

Question 26

Which sacral nerve comes out of the sacral hiatus?

Answer 26

The 5th sacral nerve

Question 27

How many vertebrae make up the coccyx?

Answer 27

Four fused vertebrae (the fourth may or may not be fused)

Question 28

What are the primary and secondary curvatures of the vertebral column?

Answer 28

Primary: Thoracic and Sacral
Secondary: Cervical and lumbar

Question 29

What maintains the curvature of the thoracic and sacral vertebrae?

Answer 29

Maintained primarily as a consequence of the differences in height between the anterior and posterior parts of the vertebrae

Question 30

What maintains the curvature of the cervical and lumbar vertebrae?

Answer 30

Maintained primarily because of differences in the thickness of the anterior and posterior parts of the intervertebral discs

Question 31

When does the cervical and lumbar curvature become prominent during development?

Answer 31

The cervical curvature is prominent when infant raises its head up. The lumbar curvature is prominent when infant begins to walk and is upright.

Question 32

What is the name of exaggeration of the thoracic curvature?

Answer 32

Kyphosis

Question 33

What is the name of exaggeration of the lumbar curvature?

Answer 33

Lordosis

Question 34

What is scoliosis?

Answer 34

Lateral deviation of the vertebral column

Question 35

What two components make up the intervertebral discs?

Answer 35

Annulus fibrosus and the nucleus pulposus

Question 36

In which vertebral segments are the intervertebral discs thickest?

Answer 36

Thickest in the cervical and lumbar regions, where movement of the vertebral column is greatest.

Question 37

What is the annulus fibrosis?

Answer 37

Consists of concentric layers of fibrocartilage which run obiquely from one vertebra to the next, and the fibers of one layer run at right angles to those of the adjacent layer

Question 38

What is the nucleus pulposus?

Answer 38

Leftover embryonic cartilage, is an ovoid mass of gelatinous material which contains a large amount of water, small amount of collagen, and some cartilage cells. Situated near the posterior part of the disc

Question 39

Which vertebrae do not have intervertebral discs running between them?

Answer 39

Between C1 and C2.

Question 40

Where is the most inferior intervertebral disc?

Answer 40

Between L5 and the sacrum (S1)

Question 41

Which ligament runs along the front of the vertebral column? What type of extension does it resist?

Answer 41

The anterior logitudinal ligament, resists hyperextension (is the only ligament to resist hyperextension). Strong wide band

Question 42

What ligament runs along the back of the vertebral column? What type of extension does it resist?

Answer 42

The posterior longitudinal ligament, resists hyperflexion. Weaker and more narrow than the anterior logitudinal ligament. Resists posterior herniation of the intervertebral discs

Question 43

What ligament runs between lamina? What is its function, and what type of extension does it resist?

Answer 43

The ligamentum flava in the vertebral column is made of yellow elastic tissue; resists flexion (or bending forward), assists in the straightening of the column after flexion

Question 44

What is the ligamentum nuchae? Where does it extend to and from?

Answer 44

Is white fibrous ligament (not elastic) and is the thickening of the interspinous and supraspinous ligaments in the cervical region. Extends from C7 to the external occipital protuberance. Provides attachment of muscles on either side of the neck

Question 45

What are the two craniovertebral joints?

Answer 45

Atlanto-occipital joint and the atlanto-axial joint

Question 46

Where is the atlanto-occipital joint and what movement of the head does it allow?

Answer 46

Is a joint between the superior articular surface o hte lateral mass of the atlas and the occipital condyles of the skull; allows for the “yes” movement of the head (so the skull moves alone)

Question 47

What is the atlanto-axial joint, what joints make it up, and what movement of the head does it allow?

Answer 47

Consists of three joints: 1 median joint (between the dens of the axis and the anterior arch of the atlas) and 2 lateral joints (between the lateral masses of the atlas and the superior facets of the axis); allows the “no” movement of the head (so skull and axis move together)