Intervertebral Foramen/Curvatures of the Column

Question 0

What percent of total vertebral column length does all intervertebral foramina height from occiput-Co1 equal?

Answer 0

53%

Question 1

What percent of total vertebral column length does “true” intervertebral height from C2-S1 equal?

Answer 1

40%

Question 2

What are the segmental arteries of the cervical spine?

Answer 2

The vertebral artery, ascending cervical artery, and deep cervical artery

Question 3

What are the segmental arteries of the thoracic spine?

Answer 3

The deep cervical artery, highest (superior) intercostal artery, posterior intercostal artery, and subcostal artery

Question 4

What are the segmental arteries of the lumbar spine?

Answer 4

The lumbar arteries, iliolumbar artery, lateral sacral artery, and median sacral artery

Question 5

What are the characteristics of the artery of adamkiewicz?

Answer 5

It is a left side, anterior medullary feeder artery located in the T9/T10 intervertebral foramen, and the primary vascular supply to the lumbar enlargement

Question 6

What will the intervertebral veins drain into?

Answer 6

The external vertebral venous plexus or Batson’s plexus

Question 7

What is a unique histological feature of the veins of the vertebral column?

Answer 7

They appear to lack valves

Question 8

What increases the depth or length or the intervertebral foramen in the cervical spine?

Answer 8

The transverse process

Question 9

What is the location of the spinal nerve within the cervical intervertebral foramen?

Answer 9

Toward the front and middle of the height of the cervical intervertebral foramen

Question 10

What is the relationship between aging and cervical spine nerve root characteristics?

Answer 10

The length of the nerve root increases as it descends from its apparent origin on the spinal cord, but the cross-sectional area of the nerve root decreases

Question 11

What is the relationship between aging and cervical spine intervertebral foramen size?

Answer 11

The cross-sectional area diminishes after age 50

Question 13

What are the specific attachment sites for a cervical spinal nerve?

Answer 13

The sulcus for the ventral primary ramus on the costotransverse bar and the vertebral artery

Question 14

What contributes to the anterior boundary of the thoracic intervertebral foramen?

Answer 14

The costocentral joint

Question 15

Which are the largest spinal nerves?

Answer 15

L5 and S1 spinal nerves

Question 16

What increases the length of the intervertebral foramen at L5?

Answer 16

The lumbosacral tunnel

Question 17

What forms the lumbosacral tunnel?

Answer 17

The lumbosacral ligament, transverse process of L5, and sacral ala

Question 18

What condition is the result of encroachment on the L5 spinal nerve?

Answer 18

The far out syndrome

Question 19

What ligament may contribute to the loss of size in the lumbar intervertebral foramen?

Answer 19

The transforminal ligament

Question 20

What is unusual about the sacral intervertebral foramen compared to other intervertebral foramina?

Answer 20

A completely osseous boundary exists

Question 21

What is unique about the relationship of spinal nerve to intervertebral foramen at S5-Co1?

Answer 21

There are two nerves present, S5 nerve & Co1 nerve

Question 22

What are some examples of destructive lesions of the vertebral body?

Answer 22

Tuberculosis, hemangiomas, osteoporosis

Question 23

What may reduce the impact to intervertebral disc loss of integrity on the intervertebral foramen in the cervical and thoracic spine?

Answer 23

The joint of Luschka in the cervicals, the costocentral joint in the thoracics

Question 24

What are examples of osteophyte formation that influence the intervertebral foramen?

Answer 24

The bony spurs of the vertebral body and para-articular processes on the lamina

Question 25

What are examples of acquired alterations of the spinal curves identified in class?

Answer 25

Obesity, pregnancy, and the use of heavy backpacks

Question 26

Why is the posterior curve also called the primary curve?

Answer 26

It is the first curve to appear embryologically

Question 27

What are the adult remnants of the primary curve along the vertebral column?

Answer 27

The thoracic or dorsal curve and the pelvic or sacrococcygeal curve

Question 28

What are the names given to curves which form during development to reverse the direction of regions along the vertebral column?

Answer 28

Anterior curve, secondary curve, compensatory curve

Question 29

What are the names of the anterior curves, secondary curves, and compensatory curves?

Answer 29

Cervical curve and lumbar curve

Question 30

What is the earliest time of appearance of the cervical curve?

Answer 30

The third fetal month

Question 31

What is the traditional time of appearance of the cervical curve said to be?

Answer 31

During the last trimester in utero

Question 32

What is the time during which the "adult" cervical curve is said to appear?

Answer 32

Within the first year after birth

Question 33

What developmental events are indicated in the formation of the adult cervical curve?

Answer 33

1. Centers for vision and equilibrium will appear in the brain 2. Musculature attaching the skull, cervical region, and upper thorax together develops 3. The head is held upright 4. The intervertebral disc height becomes greater anterior than posterior

Question 34

At what age will the infant begin to hold the head erect?

Answer 34

Usually between the third and fourth month after birth

Question 35

What is the name given to the integration of visual and motor pathways associated with holding the head erect?

Answer 35

The righting reflex

Question 36

What is the location for the cervical kyphosis?

Answer 36

Between occiput and C1

Question 37

What is the time of appearance of the lumbar curve?

Answer 37

Between 12 and 18 months after birth

Question 38

What infant activities are associated with the development of the lumbar curve?

Answer 38

Crawling and walking

Question 39

What developmental events are indicated in the formation of the adult lumbar curve?

Answer 39

1. Crawling will cause the abdomen to put tension on the lumbar region and pulls it forward 2. Muscle development is promoted to compensate for the swayback of the lumbars 3. Intervertebral disc height will become greater anterior compared to posterior 4. Walking will further promote muscle and intervertebral disc development

Question 40

What is the vertebral relationship between the lumbar curve and the lumbar enlargement?

Answer 40

Lumbar curve T12-L5; lumbar enlargement T9-T12

Question 41

What is the formation of the lateral curve often correlated with?

Answer 41

Faster development of the muscles on the side of handedness

Question 42

What is the time of appearance of the lateral curves?

Answer 42

They appear after 6 years old

Question 43

What names are given to conditions associated with abnormal curves of the vertebral column?

Answer 43

Lordosis, kyphosis, scoliosis

Question 44

What is the definition of lordosis?

Answer 44

A forward bending condition

Question 45

What is the definition of kyphosis?

Answer 45

A humpback or hunchback condition

Question 46

What is the definition of scoliosis?

Answer 46

A warped or crooked condition

Question 47

What clinical examples of abnormal curvatures along the vertebral column were stressed in class?

Answer 47

Military neck, humpback or hunchback, and swayback

Question 48

What is military neck?

Answer 48

A decreased anterior curve in the cervical region, a straight neck

Question 49

What is humpback or hunchback?

Answer 49

An increased posterior curve in the thoracic region

Question 50

What is swayback?

Answer 50

An increased anterior curve in the lumbar region

Question 51

What does the use of the term lordotic try to imply?

Answer 51

A normal cervical and normal lumbar anterior curve

Question 52

What does the use of the term kyphotic try imply?

Answer 52

A normal thoracic or dorsal and normal pelvic or sacrococcygeal posterior curve

Question 53

What prefixes are used to convey abnormality in curve patterns?

Answer 53

Hyper and hypo

Question 54

What are the curve classifications for military neck?

Answer 54

A kyphosis or hypolordotic curve

Question 55

What are the curve classifications for humpback or hunchback?

Answer 55

A kyphosis or hyperkyphotic curve

Question 56

What are the curve classifications for swayback?

Answer 56

A lordosis or hyperlordotic curve

Question 57

What are the classifications of scoliosis according to the Scoliosis Research Society?

Answer 57

Magnitude, location, direction, etiology, structural scoliosis and non-structural scoliosis

Question 58

What is often used to measure the magnitude of scoliosis?

Answer 58

The Cobb method

Question 59

What does location of scoliosis infer?

Answer 59

The location in the vertebral segment forming the apex of the curve deviation

Question 60

What does the direction of scoliosis refer to?

Answer 60

The side the convexity of the curve will bend to

Question 61

What does etiology of scoliosis mean?

Answer 61

The cause of the scoliosis

Question 62

Based on age of onset, what are the types of idiopathic scoliosis?

Answer 62

Infantile, juvenile, and adolescent

Question 63

What is the age range for infantile idiopathic scoliosis?

Answer 63

From birth to 3 years old

Question 64

What is the age range for juvenile idiopathic scoliosis?

Answer 64

From 3 years old to 10 years old

Question 65

What is the age range for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis?

Answer 65

Over 10 years old

Question 66

Identify the curve direction, location, gender bias, and incidence of infantile idiopathic scoliosis.

Answer 66

Left thoracic, male, less than 1% incidence

Question 67

Identify the curve direction, location, gender bias, and incidence of juvenile idiopathic scoliosis.

Answer 67

Right thoracic, females over 6 years old, 12%-21% incidence

Question 68

Identify the curve direction, location, gender bias, and incidence of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis.

Answer 68

Right thoracic or right thoracic and left lumbar, females, 80% incidence

Question 69

What is the relationship between curve deviation, incidence, and curve worsening?

Answer 69

The greater the deviation, the lower the incidence, and the more likely to worsen

Question 70

What is/are the characteristics of cervicalization of occiput?

Answer 70

An increase in occipital bone size, formation of new or larger lines, on the occipital bone

Question 71

What is/are the characteristics of occipitalization of C1?

Answer 71

The atlas may be partially or completely fused to the occiput

Question 72

What is another way of implying occipitalization of C1?

Answer 72

Atlas assimilation

Question 73

What is the incidence of occipitalization of C1?

Answer 73

0.1% to 0.8%

Question 74

What joint is formed between the odontoid process ossification centers and the centrum of C2?

Answer 74

The subdental synchondrosis

Question 75

Ossification between the odontoid process and centrum joint of C2 first appears at which age?

Answer 75

4 years old

Question 76

What is an os odontoideum?

Answer 76

A persistence beyond age 7 of the joint formed between the centrum and odontoid process centers of ossification

Question 77

What is the name given to the joint formed between the tip of the dens and the odontoid process centers of ossification?

Answer 77

Tip of the dens synchondrosis

Question 78

At what age will the tip of the dens fuse with the odontoid process?

Answer 78

Before age 12

Question 79

If the joint formed between the tip of the dens and odontoid process centers of ossification persists beyond age 12, what is the condition called?

Answer 79

Terminal ossicle

Question 80

What is a basilar invagination?

Answer 80

The upper cervical spine appears to be invaginated into the skull on x-ray analysis

Question 81

What is/are the characteristics of dorsalization of C7?

Answer 81

The addition of a rib and changes in superior articular facet orientation are typical

Question 82

What is the incidence of rib-related changes following dorsalization of C7?

Answer 82

From one-half to two and one-half percent of the population

Question 83

What is the gender bias suggested in dorsalization of C7?

Answer 83

Female

Question 84

What alteration in C7 facet orientation may accompany dorsalization?

Answer 84

The superior articular facet of C7 may change from back, upward, and medial to that of a typical thoracic facet...back, upward, and lateral; the inferior articular facet is unchanged

Question 85

What percent of the population may demonstrate thoracic-like features at C7?

Answer 85

Up to 46%

Question 86

What rib-related changes may accompany cervicalization of T1?

Answer 86

The first rib may decrease in mean relative length or become absent

Question 87

What T1 facet orientation changes may accompany cervicalization?

Answer 87

The superior articular facet may change from back, upward, and lateral to back, upward, and medial; the inferior articular facet is unchanged