A. Typical Cervical Vertebrae C3-C6

Question 1

Which mammals have more than seven cervical vertebrae?

Answer 1

ant bear, three-toed sloth

Question 2

Which mammals have less than seven cervical vertebrae?

Answer 2

two-toed sloth, manatee

Question 3

Which vertebrae are typical cervicals?

Answer 3

C3-C6

Question 4

Which vertebrae are atypical cervicals?

Answer 4

C1, C2, C7

Question 5

What is the appearance of the typical cervical vertebral body from the lateral view?

Answer 5

posterior height is greater than anterior height by a few millimeters

Question 6

What would be the direction of the cervical curve based on osseous features?

Answer 6

posterior or kyphotic

Question 7

What accounts for the direction of the typical cervical curve?

Answer 7

the intervertebral disc height

Question 8

What is the direction of the typical cervical curve?

Answer 8

anterior or lordotic

Question 9

At which vertebral couple will the cervical curve again increase intervertebral disc height?

Answer 9

C5/C6

Question 10

What is the effect of aging on the cervical vertebral body?

Answer 10

It diminishes the overall height of the vertebral body

Question 11

What are the modifications of the superior epiphyseal rim of a typical cervical?

Answer 11

anterior groove, posterior groove, right and left uncinated processes

Question 12

What are the names of the lateral modification of the superior epiphyseal rim?

Answer 12

uncinate process, unciform process, uncovertebral process, uncus or lateral lip

Question 13

At what developmental age will the uncinate process first be observed?

Answer 13

3rd-4th fetal month

Question 14

What are the modifications of the inferior epiphyseal rim of a typical cervical?

Answer 14

anterior lip, posterior lip, right and left lateral grooves

Question 15

What is the joint classification for the anterior lip-anterior groove articulation?

Answer 15

fibrous (amphiarthrosis) syndesmosis

Question 16

What is the joint classification for the uncinate process-lateral groove articulation?

Answer 16

modified synovial saddle (diarthrosis sellar)

Question 17

What is the joint classification for the spongy bone-intervertebral disc articulation?

Answer 17

cartilaginous (amphiarthrosis) symphysis

Question 18

How many joints are present on the lower surface of a typical cervical vertebral body?

Answer 18

five

Question 19

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

Answer 19

Ten

Question 20

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

Answer 20

four

Question 21

What is the name given to the uncinate process-lateral groove articulation?

Answer 21

joint of Luschka or uncovertebral joint

Question 22

The joint of Luschka is formed from what surfaces?

Answer 22

the uncinate process and lateral goove

Question 23

What is the functional significance of the joint of Luschka?

Answer 23

it appears to stabilize the intervertebral disc while accommodating flexion- extension and requiring couple motion (axial rotation with lateral bending) in the cervical spine

Question 24

What muscle attaches to the typical cervical vertebral body?

Answer 24

the longus colli muscle

Question 25

What soft tissue diameter mimics the outline of the typical cervical vertebral foramen?

Answer 25

the transverse diameter of the cervical enlargement of the spinal cord

Question 26

the greatest transverse diameter of the typical cervical vertebra occurs at ______?

Answer 26

C6

Question 27

The greatest frequency of osteophytes associated with the vertebral body occurs at which typical cervical vertebral couple?

Answer 27

C5/C6

Question 28

What muscles will attach to the anterior tubercle of a typical cervical vertebra?

Answer 28

anterior scalene, longus capitis, longus colli, anterior intertransversarii

Question 29

What muscles may attach to the posterior tubercle of a typical cervical vertebra?

Answer 29

splenius cervicis, iliocostalis cervicis, longissimus cervicis, levator scapula, middle scalene, posterior scalene, rotators and posterior intertransversarii

Question 30

What muscles will attach to the costotransverse bar?

Answer 30

middle scalene and posterior intertransversarii

Question 31

What produces the primary tension on the transverse process that will cause remodeling in the anterolateral and inferior directions?

Answer 31

cervical spinal nerves as they are directed anterolaterally and inferiorly to form the cervical and brachial plexuses

Question 32

What is the orientation and angulation of a typical cervical transverse process?

Answer 32

60 degrees anterolaterally (from midsaggital plane), 15 degrees inferiorly (from the horizontal plane)

Question 33

What is the name given to the modification of the anterior tubercle of the C6 transverse process?

Answer 33

the carotid tubercle

Question 34

What will cause remodeling of the anterior tubercle at C6?

Answer 34

the common carotid artery

Question 35

What will occupy the typical cervical vertebra transverse foramen?

Answer 35

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

Question 36

What part of the peripheral nerve system is observed in the transverse foramen of typical cervical vertebrae?

Answer 36

postganglionic sympathetic motor nerve fibers of the autonomic (involuntary or visceral) nerve system

Question 37

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

Answer 37

the articular pillar

Question 38

What nerve indents the articular pillar of typical vertebrae?

Answer 38

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

Question 39

What is the classic angulation of typical cervical articular facets?

Answer 39

40-45 degrees from the coronal plane

Question 40

Recent work suggests what angulation for typical cervical articular facets?

Answer 40

55-60 degrees

Question 41

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

Answer 41

backward, upward, medial (BUM)

Question 42

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

Answer 42

forward, lateral, downward (FoLD)

Question 43

What muscles will attach to typical cervical articular processes?

Answer 43

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

Question 44

What muscles blend with the capsular ligament of cervical zygapophyses?

Answer 44

the semispinalis capitis, multifidis, and rotators

Question 45

What modifications of the synovial joint are observed in the cervical spine?

Answer 45

meniscoidal folds

Question 46

What function will meniscoidal folds provide in cervical zygapophyses?

Answer 46

they are assumed to distribute pressure across the joint surface

Question 47

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

Answer 47

typically C5/C6

Question 48

What motions are coupled in the cervical spine?

Answer 48

lateral bending and axial rotation

Question 49

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

Answer 49

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

Question 50

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

Answer 50

the C5/C6 vertebral couple

Question 51

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

Answer 51

they are bifid

Question 52

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

Answer 52

they are non-bifid

Question 53

What muscles may attach to the typical cervical spinous process?

Answer 53

the spinalis cervicis, semispinalis cervicis, semispinalis thoracis, multifidis, rotators and interspinalis

Question 54

What ligaments will attach to the typical cervical spinous process?

Answer 54

the interspinous ligament and ligamentum nuchae

Question 55

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

Answer 55

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

Question 56

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

Answer 56

the inferior vertebral notch/incisure

Question 57

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

Answer 57

the superior vertebral notch/incisure

Question 58

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

Answer 58

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