Vertebral Column and Respiratory System Flashcards
How many bones in the vertebral column of a fetus?
33 vertebrae
How many bones in the vertebral column of an adult?
26 vertebrae
what are the vertebrae of an adult and where do they differ from those of a fetus?
7 cervical
12 thoracic
5 lumbar
1 sacrum (5 fused)
1 coccyx (4 fused)
What are the curves of the spine?
laterally, initially a fetus only has 1 curve
at 3 months of age, when an infant starts to hold their head their cervical curve changes
later, when the infant begins to sit up and walk the lumbar curve changes
What are the primary curves of an adult spine?
thoracic and sacrum/coccyx
Kyphotic curves
convex posteriorly
What are the secondary curves of an adult spine?
the curves that develop as a fetus - toddler
cervical and lumbar
lordotic curves
What is the reason for the curvature of an adult spine?
increase the strength of vertebral column
helps maintain balance by distributing weight
helps absorb shock
helps protect the vertebrae from fractures
What are three abnormal curves of the spine?
Kyphosis (can’t have without lordosis)
Lordosis (can’t have without kyphosis)
Scoliosis
What is kyphosis?
exaggeration of the normal kyphotic curve
Only in the thoracic region since the coccyx is fused
commonly in elderly women due to osteoporosis
What is lordosis?
Exaggeration of the normal lordotic curve
Cervical and lumbar spines
common in pregnant women
What is the typical makeup of a vertebrae?
vertebral body
vertebral arch
vertebral foramen
- opening within the arch
- where the spinal cord passes through
What is the vertebral body?
majority is trabecular bone (red bone marrow) surrounded by a thin layer of cortical bone
bounded by anterior and posterior longitudinal ligaments
separated by intervertebral discs
weight-bearing part of the vertebrae
what is the vertebral arch?
consists of 2 pedicles and 2 laminae
what is a pedicle?
- project posteriorly from the body
- vertebral notches are on the inferior and superior surfaces
- form the intervertebral foramina - where the spinal nerves enter and exit
what is a laminae?
continue from the pedicles and unite posteriorly to form the spinous process
What forms the intervertebral foramina?
the inferior vertebral notch of the superior vertebrae and the superior intervertebral notch of the inferior vertebrae
what process come off the arch?
7 processes
- 2 superior articular processes
- 2 inferior articular processes
- 2 transverse processes - roughly where the pedicle and laminae meet
- 1 spinous process - posteriorly at the union of the laminae
what are the 2 typical vertebral joints?
intervertebral discs
zygapophyseal joints
What are intervertebral discs?
C2/3 to L5/S1
account for 25% of the height of the vertebral column
- annulus fibrosus - outer fibrous ring
- nucleus pulposus - soft, highly elastic
What are zygopophyseal joints?
articulations between the superior and inferior articular processes of adjacent vertebrae
often referred to as facet joints
where we get our movement from
What are the 7 cervical vertebrae?
C3-C6 are typical
C1, C2 and C7 are atypical
C1 is the atlas
C2 is the axis
C7 is the vertebra prominens
what are the characteristics of the atlas?
atlas has no body
what happens to body size of cervical vertebrae? Which vertebrae have smaller bodies?
The size of the bodies increase from C2-C7
only the coccygeal vertebrae have smaller bodies
What vertebral section have the largest vertebral foramina?
the cervical vertebrae
- cervical enlargement of the spinal cord
What spinous processes are bifid (in 2 parts) and short?
C2 to C6
Each transverse process (unique to cervical spine) has a?
transverse foramen - vertebral artery, vein, and nerve pass-through
each transverse process arises from the pedicle and body (rather than the pedicle/laminae)
What features of the cervical spine are seen in a lateral view?
articular pillars
- between superior and inferior articular processes of the same vertebra
zygapophyseal joints
- between adjacent articular pillars
should be open on a true lateral
what is the position of the vertebral foramina?
open anteriorly - 45 to the midsagittal plane - also projected 15 inferiorly
to image - LPO 45 with 15 cephalad angle demonstrates right intervertebral foramina (RAO would need 15 caudad)
C1 (Atlas)
lacks a body and spinous process
anterior arch - articulation for odontoid
posterior arch
Lateral masses - articular pillars of C1
- superior articular process forms atlantooccipital joint (articulate with occipital condyles
- permits the motion of “YES”
- inferior articular process articulates with C2 to form the atlantoaxial joint
C2 (Axis)
odontoid process or Dens
Blunt spinous process
Atlante-axial joints permits rotation of the head to say “NO”
Bifid
What is a Jefferson’s fracture?
acquired by head first impact
axial load from top of head
C1 is wider than C2
C7 - cervical vertebrae
vertebra prominens
useful external landmark
has a long, non-bifid spinous process
What are the thoracic vertebrae?
vertebral bodies get larger from 1-12
- upper bodies 1-4 resemble cervical
- lower bodies 9-12 resemble lumbar
spinous processes are long and project inferiorly
What are the transverse processes of the thoracic spine?
transverse processes are large and are at the junction of the pedicle and lamina
it is at the pedicle and body in the C-spine
What is the major distinguishing feature of the T-spine?
the facets for articulations with the ribs
What is the costovertebral joint?
the head of the rib sits between the rib and vertebral body
What is the costotransverse joint?
between tubercle of rib and transverse process of vertebrae
Costovertebral joint of T-spine articulations with ribs?
head of rib articulates with the posterolateral part on vertebral body
whole facet if head of rib only articulates with 1 body
demi facet (half facet) if head of rib articulates with 2 vertebral bodies
How do different vertebrae articulate with the ribs?
T1 has a whole facet on the superior border for articulation with 1st rib
T1 has a demi facet on its inferior border for articulation with 2nd rib
T2-T8 have demi facets on upper and lower borders
T9 has only a superior demifacet
T10-T12 have a single whole facet on the superior border
Thoracic vertebrae articulation with ribs?
costotransverse joints
tubercle of the rib articulates with the transverse process of the vertebra
T1-T10
What are the articulations of the 7th rib?
tubercle of the 7th rib articulates with the transverse process of T7
the superior half of the head of the rib articulates with the inferior demi facet of T6
the inferior half of the head of the rib articulates with the superior demi facet of T7
Thoracic vertebrae intervertebral foramina and zygapophyseal joints?
Intervertebral foramina is demonstrated on a true lateral
Zygapophyseal is demonstrated by a steep oblique (15-20) from a true lateral position
What is the lumbar vertebrae?
largest vertebral bodies of all vertebrae (L5 is largest)
Compensate for more weight
Bodies are taller anteriory compared to posteriorly
bodies are concave anteriorly and laterally
spinous processes are thick, blunt and project horizontally
transverse processes are smaller compared to thoracic
spinal cord ends at the disc between L1 and L2 in adult patient
What is an indication of a compression fracture?
in the inferior vertebral body is smaller than the superior
What is the Pars interarticularis of the Lumbar vertebrae?
part of the lamina that is located between the superior and inferior articular processes
clinically very significant
“neck” of the scotty dog on oblique lumbar spine images
What is spondylolysis?
fracture of pars interarticularis
What is spondylolisthesis?
both pars fractured on the same vertebrae
What are the parts of the scotty dog?
Ear - superior articular process
Nose - transverse process
Eye - pedicle
Neck - pars interarticularis
the scotty dog demonstrares zygopophyseal joints
The dog faces the same way the patient is facing
what is the intervertebral foramen of the lumbar vertebrae?
formed by the superior and inferior vertebral notch
best seen on a lateral projection
zygapophyseal joints of the lumbar spine?
rotate patient an average of 45
RPO/LAO demonstrates right zygapophyseal or facet joints and right pars interarticularis
What is the sacrum?
triangular shaped bone
base is superior
apex is inferior
adult has 5 fused vertebrae (begins to fuse at 16-18)
concave curve anteriorly - varies on sex of individual - females have a greater curve
Anterior view of the sacrum?
base
- Sacral Ala - fused transverse processes of S1 - auricular surface is on the lateral edge of sacrum and forms SI joint
- Sacral promontory
- 2 superior articular processes - articular with inferior articular processes of L5
4 pairs of sacral foramina
Apex - articulates with coccyx