The Vertebral Column and Thoracic Cage Flashcards by Tori Whalen

How many vertebrae do we have

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how many regions of vertebrae do we have? What are the regions

5 regions
Cervical (7), Thoracic (12), Lumbar (5), Sacral (5) and Coccygeal (2-4)

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What are Primary (1º) curvatures?

develop during the fetal period; the newborn spine is kyphotic, which is concave anteriorly
include:
- thoracic kyphosis
- sacral kyphosis

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What are Secondary (2º) curvatures?

result from the development of the spine in the first few years of life

Cervical lordosis develops when infants begin to hold their heads up
Lumbar lordosis develops when toddlers begin standing & walking

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Features of a typical vertebra

1) body, 2) vertebral arch, 3) & 4) articular processes, 5) & 6) transverse processes, 7) spinous process, 8) & 9) pedicles, 10) & 11) laminae.

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Between the body and the vertebral arch there is an opening known as the ____________ which houses the spinal cord

vertebral foramen

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in addition, the foramen that is formed between pedicles of the adjacent vertebrae is called _____________ (this protects exiting spinal nerves)

intervertebral foramen

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ANTERIOR PROJECTION; LARGEST BONY SEGMENT, STACKS UP ON EACH OTHER FOR COLUMN HEIGHT AND SHOCK ABSORPTION

Body

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RIGHT AND LEFT (LATERAL PROJECTIONS) EXTEND OUT FROM VERTEBRA IN TRANSVERSE PLANE, SERVES AS ATTACHMENT FOR RIBS AND MUSCLES

Transverse processes (2)

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EXTENDS POSTERIORLY FROM VERTEBRAE IN SAGITTAL PLANE, SERVES AS ATTACHMENT FOR RIBS AND MUSCLES

spinous processes

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EXTEND SUPERIORLY AND INFERIORLY FROM VERTEBRAE (2 SUPERIOR, 2 INFERIOR FOR EVERY SEGMENT); ALLOWS VERTEBRAE TO FORM JOINTS WITH EACH OTHER

Articular processes (4)

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RIGHT AND LEFT = CONNECTS BODY OF VERTEBRAE WITH TVPS

Pedicles

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RIGHT AND LEFT = CONNECTS TVPS OF VERTEBRAE WITH SPS

lamina

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FORMED BY UNION OF: BODY, PEDICLE, LAMINA AND SP; BORDERS/ PROTECTS THE SPINAL CORD

vertebral foramen

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RIGHT AND LEFT = FORMED BY ADJACENT PEDICLES; BORDERS/PROTECTS EXITING SPINAL NERVES

intervertebral foramen

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There are ___ pairs of spinal nerves exiting off spinal cord and enter periphery by passing through intervertebral foramen

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The Vertebral Canal protects the

spinal cord

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the intervertebral foramen connects the

spinal nerves as they exit from cord

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how many spinal nerves are in each section of the vertebral column

cervical = 8
thoracic = 12
lumbar = 5
sacral = 5
coccygeal = 1

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There are _ vertebrae in the cervical region forming a ______ curvature.

7, lordotic

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The main common features of the typical cervical vertebrae are as follows:

small body
transverse foramen in transverse process
bifurcated spinous process

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which two vertebrae have some special features that make them different from a typical cervical vertebrae

Atlas (C1) and Axis (C2)

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The atlas has no ____, _____, and no ____

body, laminar, pedicles

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what are the additional features of the atlas? (2)

anterior and posterior arches
lateral mass on either side of the vertebrae contains the articular surfaces on the superior and inferior surfaces

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Where is the additional articular surface for the dens of axis found on C1

the posterior surface of the anterior arch

What are the superior articular surfaces on C1 for?

for other occipital condyles of the skull

What are the inferior articular surfaces on C1 for?

for the axis (C2) respectively

what is the exceptional feature of the axis?

a large odontoid process (dens of axis)

where is the dens of the axis attached to C2?

the superior surface of the body. This process acts as an axis (pivot) and permits the rotation of the atlas on the axis bone.

Anterior surface of dens contains an articular facet which matches up with the facet on the posterior surface of the anterior arch of C1 (atlas). Together these surfaces form the _______________

“medial Atlantoaxial joint”

The lateral atlantoaxial joint is formed between the _______ articular facet of the axis and the inferior articular facet on the _____ mass of the atlas

superior, lateral

Vertebra prominens is the proper name for the _____ cervical vertebra. The most distinctive characteristic of this vertebra is the existence of a long and prominent spinous process which is palpable from the skin surface, hence the name.

7th

what are the main characteristics of the thoracic vertebrae?

- Costal facet are present on the sides of the bodies where the heads of the ribs articulate (demi-facet or semi-facet or hemi-fact) - Costal facets on the transverse processes (called transverse costal facet) for articulation with the tubercles of the ribs.(T11 and T12 have no facets on the transverse processes.)

what are the components of the thoracic cage?

- 12 thoracic vertebrae + intervertebral discs - 12 pairs of ribs and costal cartilage - sternum

Functions of the Thoracic Cage (4)

1. attachment for upper limbs 2. attachment for many muscles of upper limbs, neck, abdomen, back and muscles of respiration 3. functions to protect the thoracic and abdominal organs 4. attachment for mammary glands of breast tissue which are located in the subcutaneous tissues of the anterolateral chest wall

how many TRUE ribs are there

(1-7) – direct attachment to the sternum

how many FALSE ribs are there

2 (8-10) – indirect attachment to the sternum they attach / fuse to the costal cartilage of rib 7 to form indirect attachment

How many FREE ribs are there

FREE / FLOATING (11 and 12) – no attachment to the sternum

The spaces between the ribs on each side of the thoracic cage called _____________ are filled by the intercostal muscles and carry the intercostal nerve and vessels.

intercostal spaces

components of a typical rib

1. Long, twisted flat bone with superior and inferior border 2. costal groove 3. head 4. neck 5. tubercle 6. shaft 7. angle

The ______ border overhangs and forms the ________, which accommodates the intercostal vessels and nerve.

inferior, costal groove

The ______ has two semi-facets for articulation with the numerically corresponding vertebral body and that of the vertebra immediately above. (separated by inter-articular crest).

head

The neck is a constricted portion situated between the ____ and the _____

head and tubercle

The ______ is a prominence on the outer surface of the rib at the junction of the neck with the shaft. It consists of an articular and a non-articular portion. The articular portion has a facet for articulation with the ________ of the numerically corresponding vertebra. The non-articular portion gives attachment to the _______.

tubercle, transverse process, ligaments

The _____ is where the shaft of the rib bends sharply forward.

angle

The ______ end of each rib is attached to the corresponding costal cartilage.

Which ribs are Atypical

1, 2, 10, 11, 12

The ______ is atypical. This rib is flattened and wider than the rest of the ribs. It has a tubercle on the inner (medial) border, known as the scalene tubercle, for the insertion of the anterior scalene muscle.

first rib

what does the first rib not have?

a angle or costal groove. It's head only bears one articular surface for the body of T1 (similar to the 11th and 12th)

how is rib 2 different from other atypical ribs?

The body of the second rib has similar characteristics to typical ribs, except it the costal groove.

____: has only a single articular facet on its head. 

10th rib

_________: have only a single articular facet on the head. They have no neck or tubercle.

11th and 12th ribs

The ____ rib has a slight angle and shallow costal groove but the ____ rib has no angle or costal groove.

11th, 12th

The sternum is a flat bone that may be divided into three parts

1. the manubrium 2. the body 3. xiphoid process

The ______ , also known as the jugular notch is the large, visible dip where the clavicle AND first rib joins the sternum

suprasternal notch

The body of the sternum articulates above with the manubrium. Below, it articulates with the xiphoid process. On each side are notches for articulation with the lower part of the second costal cartilage and the attachment of ribs ____via their costal cartilage.

3-6

______ is the angle formed by the junction of the manubrium and the body of the sternum in the form of a cartilaginous joint. This is also called the ___________. The sternal angle is a palpable clinical landmark. It marks the approximate level of the ____ of costal cartilages and the level of the intervertebral disc between _______

The sternal angle (Angle of Louis), manubriosternal joint. 2nd pair and T4 and T5.

The _____ joint is demarcated by a transverse ridge, attachment for rib 7 costal cartilage.

xiphi-sternal

How do lumbar vertebrae differ?

the body is massive and kidney-shaped pedicles are strong laminae are thick transverse processes are long and slender

The ___________ have no facets for articulation with ribs and no foramina in the transverse processes

lumbar vertebrae

The _______________ is found at the posterior margin of the superior articular processes of the lumbar vertebrae

mammillary process

The vertebral foramina are present on the sacrum and coccyx and form the

sacral canal

On the posterior surface of the sacrum, the spinous, articular, and transverse processes of the sacral vertebrae fuse together and form boney ridges known as __________.

sacral crests

there are __ pairs of posterior sacral foramina

The ____ surface of the sacrum is concave and has four foramina on each side. On the sides of the first sacral vertebra there are two triangular flat surfaces, called ___

anterior, sacral Ala

The coccyx consists of ______ fused together to form a small triangular bone, which articulates at its base with the apex of the sacrum.

four vertebrae

Intervertebral Discs make up approximately ___ of the column height

25%

the function of the Intervertebral Discs

- strong attachment between vertebrae for support and protection - weight bearing, shock absorption

Intervertebral Discs are composed of ___________and _____________

Annulus fibrosus, Nucleus pulposus

how are the discs named?

Discs are named after the vertebral segments they connect

there are no discs between

between atlas and skull or atlas and dens, sacral segments, and coccygeal segments

concentric rings of fibrocartilage that connect adjacent vertebral bodies and secure the nucleus in position

Annulus fibrosus

semi-gelatinous mass that acts as a shock absorber

Nucleus pulpous