Vertebral Foramen Flashcards
What name is given to the opening located within the vertebral body - vertebral arch enclosure?
the vertebral foramen
What is the name given to the union of all vertebral foramina into an apparent vertical cylinder?
the vertebral canal or spinal canal
What neural structures will occupy the vertebral foramen until the level of L2?
the spinal cord/spinal medulla/medulla spinalis, the proximal part of the peripheral nerve system, and the meninges
What is the typical shape/outline of the vertebral foramen at each region of the spinal/vertebral column?
cervical - triangular; thoracic - oval; lumbar - triangular; sacrum - triangular
At what vertebral level will the spinal cord typically terminate?
L1
At what vertebral level will the dural sac typically terminate?
S2
What are the segmental arteries?
the arteries whose branches supply the vertebra or segment
Which of the segmental arteries will arise from the thyrocervical trunk?
ascending cervical artery
Which of the segmental arteries will arise from the costocervical trunk?
deep cervical artery and superior (highest) intercostal artery
Which of the segmental arteries will arise from the thoracic descending aorta?
posterior intercostal artery and subcostal artery
Which of the segmental arteries will arise from the abdominal descending aorta?
lumbar artery and median (middle) sacral artery
Identify all segmental arteries.
vertebral, ascending cervical, deep cervical, superior (highest) intercostal, posterior intercostal, subcostal, lumbar, iliolumbar, lateral sacral, and median (middle) sacral
What are the segmental arteries of the cervical spine?
vertebral, ascending cervical, and deep cervical arteries
What are the segmental arteries of the thoracic spine?
deep cervical, superior (highest) intercostal, posterior intercostal, and subcostal arteries
What are the segmental arteries of the lumbar spine?
lumbar, iliolumbar, lateral sacral, and median (middle) sacral arteries
What are the segmental arteries of the fifth lumbar vertebra?
the iliolumbar artery, lateral sacral artery, and median (middle) sacral artery
What are the segmental arteries of the sacrum?
the iliolumbar artery, lateral sacral artery, and median (middle) sacral artery
What segmental levels are supplied by the vertebral artery?
C1-C6
What segmental levels are supplied by the ascending cervical artery?
C1-C6
What segmental levels are supplied by the deep cervical artery?
C7-T1
What segmental levels are supplied by the superior (highest) intercostal artery?
T1, T2
What segmental levels are supplied by the posterior intercostal artery?
T3-T11
What segmental levels are supplied by the subcostal artery?
T12
What segmental levels are supplied by the lumbar arteries?
L1-L4
What segmental levels are supplied by the median (middle) sacral artery?
L5, S1-S5, and coccyx
What segmental levels are supplied by the iliolumbar artery?
L5, S1-S5, and coccyx
What segmental level(s) is/are supplied by the lateral sacral artery?
L5, S1-S5, and coccyx
Which vertebra has the greatest number of segmental arteries associated with it?
L5
What branch of the segmental artery supplies the vertebra and the paravertebral region?
dorsospinal artery
Which artery is primarily observed in the distal part of the intervertebral foramen?
spinal artery
Which branch of the dorsospinal artery will penetrate the meninges to enter subarachnoid space?
spinal artery
What are the branches of the spinal artery?
osseous arteries, anterior spinal canal artery, posterior spinal canal artery, anterior medullary feeder artery, posterior medullary feeder artery, anterior radicular artery, posterior radicular artery
Which branches of the spinal artery supply the contents of the epidural space?
osseous arteries, anterior spinal canal artery, and posterior spinal canal artery
What arteries are observed in the epidural space near the posterior longitudinal ligament?
anterior spinal canal artery and plexus
What arteries are observed in the epidural space near the ligamentum flavum?
posterior spinal canal artery and plexus
Which branches of the spinal artery supply the contents of the subarachnoid space?
anterior radicular artery, posterior radicular artery, anterior medullary feeder artery, and posterior medullary feeder artery
Which vessel will supply the ventral/anterior nerve rootlet and nerve root?
anterior radicular artery
Which vessel will supply the dorsal/posterior nerve rootlets, nerve root, and nerve root ganglion?
posterior radicular artery
Which artery is now said to enlarge and form the medullary feeder artery?
the radicular artery
What is the location and number of medullary feeder arteries present in the adult?
9 anterior and 12 posterior medullary feeder arteries
What is the name given to the artery that lies in front of the spinal cord along its length?
anterior spinal artery
The anterior spinal artery is a branch of which artery?
the vertebral artery
Is the anterior spinal artery a single, continuous artery along the spinal cord?
no
As the anterior spinal artery continues along the spinal cord, which arteries unite along its length to give the appearance of a single continuous vessel?
anterior medullary feeder arteries
The posterior spinal artery is a branch of which artery?
the posterior inferior cerebellar artery
What is the position of the posterior spinal artery relative to the spinal cord?
it lies in the posterolateral sulcus along the spinal cord
Is the posterior spinal artery a single, continuous artery along the spinal cord?
no
As the posterior spinal artery continues along the spinal cord, which arteries unite along its length to give the appearance of a single continuous vessel?
posterior medullary feeder arteries
What forms the arterial vasa corona above C3?
right and left anterior spinal arteries, right and left posterior spinal arteries, and 4 communicating arteries
What forms the arterial vasa corona below C6?
a median anterior spinal artery, right and left posterior spinal arteries, and 3 communicating arteries
What changes to the arterial vasa corona occur between C3 and C6?
right and left anterior spinal arteries fuse to become a single median anterior spinal artery, the right and left posterior spinal arteries are unchanged, and the 4 communicating arteries are reduced to 3 communicating arteries
What is the generic name given to arteries that penetrate the spinal cord?
intramedullary arteries
What are the intramedullary branches of the arterial vasa corona?
pial perforating arteries, central/ventral/sulcal perforating arteries
What arterial vasa corona branches supply gray matter and most of the spinal cord?
ventral/central/sulcal perforating arteries
What intramedullary branches supply about one third of the spinal cord?
pial perforating arteries
What is the source for pial perforating arteries?
the pial plexus
What is the primary artery supplementing the arterial vasa corona?
anterior medullary feeders and posterior medullary feeders
What vessels drain the spinal cord?
pial veins
What will pial veins drain into?
venous vasa corona
Which vessels form the venous vasa corona?
right and left anterior longitudinal veins, right and left posterior longitudinal veins and 4 communicating veins
Which vessels will drain the venous vasa corona?
anterior medullary veins, posterior medullary veins
Which vessels will drain the ventral/anterior nerve roots?
anterior radicular veins
Which vessels will drain the dorsal/posterior nerve roots?
posterior radicular veins
Which vessel will drain the dorsal/posterior nerve root ganglion?
posterior radicular veins
What veins will lie in the subarachnoid space?
pial veins, venous vasa corona, anterior longitudinal veins, posterior longitudinal veins, communicating veins, anterior medullary veins, posterior medullary veins, anterior radicular veins, posterior radicular veins
What veins are observed in the epidural space near the posterior longitudinal ligament?
anterior internal vertebral venous plexus, basivertebral vein
What veins are observed in the epidural space near the ligamentum flavum?
posterior internal vertebral venous plexus
What venous vessels are identified in the intervertebral foramen?
intervertebral veins
Identify the meninges of the spinal cord (spinal medulla or medulla spinalis) and the commonly accepted meaning of each.
dura mater - touch mother
arachnoid mater - spider mother
pia mater - tender or delicate mother
Name and locate each space formed between the osseous vertebral foramen and the spinal cord.
epidural space - between the vertebral foramen and the dura mater
subdural space - between the dura mater and the arachnoid mater
subarachnoid space - between the arachnoid mater and the pia mater
What is the name given to the fluid within the epidural space?
interstitial fluid
What are the contents of the epidural space?
- anterior and posterior spinal canal artery and plexus
- anterior and posterior internal vertebral venous plexus
- basivertebral vein
- recurrent meningeal/sinu-vertebral/sinus vertebral nerve
- Hofmann/anterior dural/meningovertebral ligaments
- ligamentum flavum
- posterior longitudinal ligament
Which of the contents of the epidural space will be found near the vertebral body?
- anterior spinal canal artery and plexus
- anterior internal vertebral venous plexus
- basivertebral vein
- recurrent meningeal/sinu-vertebral/sinus vertebral nerve
- posterior longitudinal ligament
- Hofman/anterior dural/meningovertebral ligaments
Which meningeal space is now thought to be a potential space, not an actual space?
subdural space - between the dura mater and the arachnoid mater
Which of the contents of the epidural space are more likely located near or around the posterior longitudinal ligament?
- anterior spinal canal artery and plexus
- anterior internal vertebral venous plexus
- basivertebral vein
- recurrent meningeal/sinu-vertebral/sinus vertebral nerve
- Hofmann/anterior dural/meningovertebral ligaments
Which of the contents of the epidural space will be found near the lamina?
- posterior spinal canal artery and plexus
- posterior internal vertebral venous plexus
- ligamentum flavum
What is the name given to the fluid present within the subdural space?
serous fluid
What is the name given to the fluid within the subarachnoid space?
cerebrospinal fluid
What are the typical contents of the subarachnoid space down to the level of C3?
- anterior spinal arteries
- posterior spinal arteries
- communicating arteries
- arterial vasa corona
- pial perforating arteries
- central/sulcal perforating arteries
- anterior radicular arteries
- posterior radicular arteries
- anterior medullary feeder arteries
- posterior medullary feeder arteries
- dentate/denticulate ligament
- anterior longitudinal veins
- posterior longitudinal veins
- communicating veins
- venous vasa corona
- pial veins
- anterior radicular veins
- posterior radicular veins
- anterior medullary veins
- posterior medullary veins
- intervertebral veins
What contents of the subarachnoid space are changed below the level of C6?
the arterial vasa corona consists of 1 anterior spinal artery, 2 posterior spinal arteries, and 3 communicating arteries
What is the name given to the lateral extension of pia mater along the spinal cord?
dentate (denticulate) ligament
What is the unique feature of veins along the spinal cord?
they lack the bicuspid valve of typical veins