Typical Lumbar Spine: L1-L4

Question 1

What is the generic shape of the typical lumbar vertebral body from the cranial view?

Answer 1

reniform or kidney-shaped

Question 2

What accounts for the direction of the lumbar curve?

Answer 2

the vertebral body and intervertebral disc have a greater anterior height than posterior height

Question 3

How many joint surfaces are present on the vertebral body of a typical lumbar?

Answer 3

six

Question 4

How many synovial joint surfaces are present on the vertebral body of a typical lumbar?

Answer 4

none

Question 5

How many cartilaginous (amphiarthrosis) syndesmosis joint surfaces are on a typical lumbar vertebral body?

Answer 5

two

Question 6

How many fibrous (amphiarthrosis) syndesmosis joint surfaces are on a typical lumbar vertebral body?

Answer 6

four

Question 7

What muscles may attach to the first lumbar vertebral body?

Answer 7

psoas major and psoas minor

Question 8

What muscles may attach from the second down to the fourth lumbar vertebral body?

Answer 8

psoas major

Question 9

Psoas minor will attach to the vertebral body of which segments?

Answer 9

T12, L1

Question 10

What is the name given to ligaments that attach the vertebral body to articular process?

Answer 10

transforaminal ligaments

Question 11

What ligaments attach the vertebral body to the transverse process?

Answer 11

corporotransverse ligaments

Question 12

What is the number of vertebrae in the normal adult lumbar spine?

Answer 12

five segments

Question 13

Hofmann ligaments are identified in which regions along the vertebral column?

Answer 13

cervical - upper thoracic region and lumbar region

Question 14

Cervical - upper thoracic Hofmann will attach what structures together?

Answer 14

dura mater to segments above

Question 15

What is the highest level known to demonstrate Hofmann ligaments?

Answer 15

C6

Question 16

What is the proposed function of the cervical - upper thoracic Hofmann ligaments?

Answer 16

resist caudal movement of the dural sac; resist gravitational forces on the dura and cord

Question 17

Lumber Hofmann ligaments will attach what structures together?

Answer 17

dura mater to lower segmental levels

Question 18

What is the proposed function of the lumbar Hofmann ligaments?

Answer 18

resist cranial movement of the dural sac during flexion

Question 19

What osseous conditions of lumbar vertebrae facilitate a spinal tap in this region?

Answer 19

overlap of the laminae, shingling, diminishes; overlap of spinous processes, imbrication, diminishes

Question 20

What is the name of the elevation near the origin of the lumbar transverse process?

Answer 20

accessory process

Question 21

A styloid process occurs with what frequency and as a result of what condition?

Answer 21

7% occurrence as a result of congenital elongation of the lumbar accessory process

Question 22

What muscles attach to the lumbar accessory process?

Answer 22

longissimus thoracis and intertransversarii

Question 23

What muscles may attach to the transverse process of a typical lumbar vertebra?

Answer 23

psoas major, quadratus lumborum, longissimus thoracis, rotator brevis, rotator longus, and intertransversarii

Question 24

What muscles will attach to lumbar superior articular processes?

Answer 24

multifidis and intertransversarii

Question 25

What ligament will attach to the lumbar superior articular process and transverse process?

Answer 25

mammillo-accessory ligament

Question 26

What was believed to be entrapped by the mammillo-accessory ligament?

Answer 26

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

Question 27

What is the joint classification for the typical lumbar zygapophysis?

Answer 27

synovial plane (diarthrosis arthrodia)

Question 28

How many synovial joints are present on a typical lumbar vertebra?

Answer 28

four

Question 29

What is the position of the lumbar zygapophysis in children?

Answer 29

the zygapophysis lies in the coronal plane

Question 30

What is the position of the lumbar zygapophysis in adults?

Answer 30

the zygapophysis lies in the sagittal plane for L1/L2, L2/L3 and L3/L4; the zygapophysis lies in the coronal plane for L4/L5 and L5/S1

Question 31

What name is given to zygapophyses between vertebral couples that lie in the same plane?

Answer 31

joint symmetry

Question 32

What names are given to the condition in which one zygapophysis of a vertebral couple lies in the coronal plane or position and the other zygapophysis lies in the sagittal plane or position?

Answer 32

joint asymmetry or joint tropism

Question 33

What is the names of the condition in which the typical lumbar spinous process increases in length due to the aging process?

Answer 33

Baastrup's syndrome or "kissing spines"

Question 34

What muscles will attach to the typical lumbar spinous process?

Answer 34

latissimus dorsi, serratus posterior inferior, iliocostalis lumborum, longissimus thoracis, spinalis thoracis, multifidis, rotator longus, rotator brevis and interspinalis