Typical Cervical Vertebra and Atypical C1

Question 1

What is the name of the lamina-pedicle junction of typical cervical vertebrae?

Answer 1

the articular pillar

Question 2

What nerve indents the articular pillar of typical cervical vertebrae?

Answer 2

the medial branch of the dorsal ramus of a cervical spinal nerve

Question 3

What is the classic angulation of typical cervical articular facets?

Answer 3

40 to 45 degrees from the coronal plane

Question 4

Recent work suggests what angulation for typical cervical articular facets?

Answer 4

55 to 60 degrees

Question 5

What is the orientation of the typical cervical superior articular facets?

Answer 5

backward, upward, medial (BUM)

Question 6

What is the orientation of the typical cervical inferior articular facets?

Answer 6

forward, lateral, downward (FoLD)

Question 7

What muscles will attach to typical cervical articular processes?

Answer 7

the longissimus capitis, longissimus cervicis, semispinalis capitis, semispinalis cervicis, multifidis and rotators

Question 8

The greatest range of flexion - extension among the typical cervical vertebrae occurs at which vertebral couple?

Answer 8

typically C5/C6

Question 9

What motions are coupled in the cervical spine?

Answer 9

lateral bending and axial rotation

Question 10

Ranges of coupled motion among typical cervical vertebrae will be similar for what cervical vertebral couples?

Answer 10

the C2/C3, C3/C4, C4/C5 vertebral couples

Question 11

Ranges of coupled motion around the typical cervical vertebrae will being to decrease at what cervical vertebral couple?

Answer 11

the C5/C6 vertebral couple

Question 12

What is the usual condition for the Caucasian typical cervical spinous process?

Answer 12

they are bifid

Question 13

What is the usual condition for the African-American typical cervical spinous process?

Answer 13

They are non-bifid

Question 14

What muscles may attach to the typical cervical spinous process?

Answer 14

the spinalis cervicis, semifinals cervicis, semipinalis thoracis, multifidis, rotators, and interspinalis

Question 15

What ligaments will attach to the typical cervical spinous process?

Answer 15

the interspinous ligament and ligaments nuchae

Question 16

What will form the anterior boundary of a typical cervical intervertebral foramen?

Answer 16

the lateral groove and vertebral body of the segment above, the uncinate process and vertebral body of the segment below, the intervertebral disc and the posterior longitudinal ligament

Question 17

what will for the posterior boundary of a typical cervical intervertebral foramen?

Answer 17

the inferior articular process (post-zygapophysis), the superior articular process (pre-zygapophysis), the capsular ligament and the ligament flavum

Question 18

what will form the superior boundary of a typical cervical intervertebral foramen

Answer 18

the inferior vertebral notch/incisure

Question 19

what will form the inferior boundary of a typical cervical intervertebral foramen?

Answer 19

the superior vertebral notch/incisure

Question 20

What is the unique anterior boundary of the intervertebral foramen for the C4 spinal nerve?

Answer 20

there lateral groove of C3 and uncinate process of C4 forming the joint of Luschka

Question 21

What is the name of the first cervical vertebra?

Answer 21

atlas

Question 22

What features are lacking at C1?

Answer 22

vertebral body, pedicles, a spinous process and the intervertebral disc

Question 23

What osseous modification is observed to the front of the anterior arch of C1?

Answer 23

the anterior tubercle

Question 24

What muscle attaches to the anterior arch of C1?

Answer 24

longus colli

Question 25

What ligaments will attach to the anterior arch of C1

Answer 25

the anterior longitudinal, anterior atlanta-occipital and anterior atlanta-axial ligaments

Question 26

What is observed on the back of the anterior arch of C1?

Answer 26

the fovea dentis

Question 27

What is the morphology of the superior articular facet of C1?

Answer 27

they are elliptical, closer together in front and often demonstrate an elevation subdividing the facet surface into two separate surfaces

Question 28

What is the orientation of the superior articular face of C1?

Answer 28

backward, upward, medial (BUM)

Question 29

What is the joint classification of the atlanto-occipital zygapophysis?

Answer 29

synovial (diarthorosis) ellipsoidal joint

Question 30

What are the morphological characteristics of the inferior articular facet of C1?

Answer 30

asymmetrical, slightly concave or flattened

Question 31

What is the orientation of the inferior articular facet of C1?

Answer 31

backward, medial, downward (BMD)

Question 32

What is the name of the rounded elevation on the medal aspect of the lateral mass of C1?

Answer 32

tubercle for the transverse atlantal ligament

Question 33

What muscles attach to the lateral mass of C1?

Answer 33

levator scapula, splenius cervicis, and fetus capitis anterior

Question 34

What part of C1 represents the spinous process?

Answer 34

posterior tubercle of the posterior arch

Question 35

What is the distance from the posterior tubercle of the posterior arch to the skin in each gender?

Answer 35

males: about 50mm; females: about 37mm

Question 36

What attaches to the posterior tubercle of the posterior arch of C1

Answer 36

rectus capitis posterior minor muscle and ligamentum nuchae

Question 37

What superior surface modifications of the posterior arch of C1 are present?

Answer 37

groove/sulcus for the vertebral artery and arcuate rim

Question 38

What are the attachment sites of the posterior atlanto-occipital ligament

Answer 38

it si attached to the arcuate rim of the posterior arch of atlas, to the superior articular process of the lateral mass of atlas and to the posterior margin of the foramen magnum of the occipital bone

Question 39

What is the earliest age of development where ossification of the anterior free margin of the posterior atlanto-occipital ligament was observed?

Answer 39

about age 7 years old

Question 40

Based on the amount of ossification of the anterior free margin of the posterior atlanto-occipital ligament what structures will form?

Answer 40

an incomplete ponticulus posticus or a complete ponticulus posticus

Question 41

What other name may be used to identify a ponticulus posticus?

Answer 41

Kimmerle's anomaly

Question 42

What names are give to the opening formed by the ponticulus posticus?

Answer 42

arcuate foramen or retroarticular canal

Question 43

Ponticulus posticus has observed in what ethnic populations?

Answer 43

all ethnic populations studied thus far

Question 44

what is the general range of incidence of ponticulus posticus in the populations studied?

Answer 44

1-41%

Question 45

What is the gender bias now associated with ponticulus posticus?

Answer 45

female

Question 46

what is the incidence of a complete ponticulus posticus versus an incomplete one?

Answer 46

the incidence of a complete is about 15% and the incomplete may be as high as 41%

Question 47

What is observed on the undersurface of the posterior arch of C1?

Answer 47

"inferior vertebral notch" and an attachment site for the posterior atlanto-axial ligament

Question 48

What is the location of the "zygapophysis" relative to the atlanto-occipital and atlanto-axial intervertebral foramina?

Answer 48

it forms part of the anterior boundary of the intervertebral foramen in both cases

Question 49

what is the general appearance of the transverse process of C1?

Answer 49

triangular

Question 50

what are the osseous parts of the transverse process of C1?

Answer 50

costal element, posterior tubercle, true transverse process

Question 51

what osseous parts of the transverse process are absent at C1?

Answer 51

anterior tubercle and costotransverse bar

Question 52

What muscles attach to the transverse process of C1?

Answer 52

rectus capitis anterior, rectus capitis lateralis, middle scalene, levator scapula, splenius cervicis, obliquus capitis superior, obliquus capitis inferior aan intertransversarii muscles

Question 53

What sub occipital muscles are known to have fascial projections attaching to the spinal dura?

Answer 53

rectus capitis posterior minor, rectus capitis posterior major, obliquus capitis inferior

Question 54

what are the connections between suboccipitial muscles and the spinal dura called?

Answer 54

myodural bridges

Question 55

what are the lateral bridges of atlas connected to?

Answer 55

the lateral mass and the transverse process of atlas

Question 56

what forms of the lateral bridges are observed in the population?

Answer 56

incomplete lateral bridges and complete lateral bridges

Question 57

what opening is identified when a complete lateral bridge is formed?

Answer 57

the retrotransverse foramen

Question 58

what are the possible contents of the retrotransverse foramen?

Answer 58

the vertebral artery, a branch from the suboccipital nerve and veins communication with the venous sinuses of the neck

Question 59

what is observed in the transverse foramen of C1?

Answer 59

vertebral artery, vertebral venous plexus, postganglionic sympathetic motor nerve fibers

Question 60

What is the gender variation for measurement of the transverse diameter of C1?

Answer 60

males: 78mm; females: 72mm

Question 61

Is there a gender variation for the distance form the posterior tubercle of the transverse process of C1 to the skin?

Answer 61

not a significant difference

Question 62

Is there a gender variation for the distance from the posterior tubercle of the transverse process of C1 to the skin?

Answer 62

a little over 30mm for both male and females

Question 63

How many synovial joint surfaces are observed at C1?

Answer 63

five

Question 64

What synovial joint surfaces are observed at C1?

Answer 64

two superior articular facets, two inferior articular facets, and the fovea dentis