VI. Regions of the Vertebral Column: Typical Cervical Vertebrae C3-C6 Flashcards
What soft tissue diameter mimics the outline of the typical cervical vertebral foramen?
the transverse diameter of the cervical enlargement of the spinal cord
The greatest transverse diameter of the typical cervical vertebra occurs at ____?
C6
The greatest frequency of osteophytes associated with the vertebral body occurs at which typical cervical vertebral couple?
C5/C6
What muscles will attach to the anterior tubercle of a typical cervical vertebra?
anterior scalene, longus capitis, longus colli, anterior intertranscersarii
What muscles may attach to the posterior tubercle of a typical cervical vertebra?
splenius cervicis, iliocostalis cervicis, longissimus cervicis, levator scapula, middle scalene, posterior scalene, rotators and posterior intertranscersarii
What muscles will attach to the costotransverse bar?
middle scalene and posterior intertransversarii
What produces the primary tension on the transverse process that will cause remodeling in the anterolateral and inferior directions?
cervical spinal nerves as they are directed anterolaterally and inferiorly to form the cervical and brachial plexuses
What is the orientation and angulation of a typical cervical transverse process?
60 degrees anterolaterally (from midsagittal plane), 15 degrees inferiorly (from the horizontal plane)
What is the name given to the modification of the anterior tubercle of the C6 transverse process?
the carotid tubercle
What will cause remodeling of the anterior tubercle at C6?
the common carotid artery
What will occupy the typical cervical vertebra transverse foramen?
the vertebral artery, vertebral venous plexus and postganglionic sympathetic motor nerve fibers
What part of the peripheral nerve system is observed in the transverse foramen of typical cervical vertebrae?
postganglionic sympathetic motor nerve fibers of the autonomic (involuntary or visceral) nerve system
What is the name of the lamina-pedicle junction of typical cervical vertebrae?
the articular pillar
What nerve indents the articular pillar of typical cervical vertebrae?
the medial branch of the dorsal ramus of a cervical spinal nerve
What is the classic angulation of typical cervical articular facets?
40 to 45 degrees from the coronal plane
Recent work suggests what angulation for typical cervical articular facets?
55 to 60 degrees
What is the orientation of the typical cervical superior articular facet?
backward, upward, medial (BUM)
What is the orientation of the typical cervical inferior articular facet?
forward, lateral, downward (FoLD)
What muscles will attach to typical cervical articular processes?
the longissimus capitis, longissimus cervicis, semispinalis capitis, semipinalis cervicis, multifidis and rotators
What muscles blend with the capsular ligament of cervical zygapophyses?
the semipinalis capitis, multifidus and rotator longus
What modifications of the synovial joint are observed in the cervical spine?
meniscoidal folds
What function will meniscoidal folds provide in cervical zygaphophyses?
they are assumed to distribute pressure across the joint surface
The greatest range of flexion- extension among the typical cervical vertebrae occurs at which vertebral couple?
C5/C6
What motions are coupled in the cervical spine?
lateral bending and axial rotation
Ranges of coupled motion among the typical cervical vertebrae will be similar for what cervical vertebral couples?
the C2/C3, C3/C4, C4/C5 vertebral couples
Ranges of coupled motion among the typical cervical vertebrae will begin to decrease at what cervical vertebral couple?
the C5/C6 vertebral couple
What is the usual condition for the Caucasian typical cervical spinous process?
they are bifid
That is the usual condition for the African-American typical cervical spinous process?
they are non-bifid
What muscles may attach to the typicial cervical spinous process?
the spinalis cervicis, semispinalis cervicis, semispinalis thoracis, multifidis, rotators and interspinalis
What ligaments will attach to the typical cervical spinous process?
the interspinous ligament and ligamentum nuchae
What will form the posterior boundary of a typical cervical intervertebral foramen?
the inferior articular process (post-zygapophysis), the superior articular process (pre-zygapophysis), the capsular ligament and the ligamentum flavum
What will form superior boundary of a typical cervical intervertebral foramen?
the inferior vertebral notch or inferior vertebral incisure
What will form the inferior boundary of a typical cervical intervertebral foramen?
the superior vertebral notch or superior vertebral incisure
What is the unique anterior boundary of the intervertebral foramen for the C4 spinal nerve?
the lateral groove of C3 and uncinate process of C4 forming the joint of Luschka
