Module 11 - Vertebral Column, Thoracic Cage, and Trunk Wall

Question 1

What is the name of the first cervical vertebra?

Answer 1

the atlas

Question 2

What is the function of the atlas?

Answer 2

first cervical (C1); supports the skull on top of the vertebral column

Question 3

What is the region of the skull that articulates with the atlas?

Answer 3

Occipital condyles

Question 4

Which vertebra lacks both a body and spinous process and why?

Answer 4

the atlas (C1 vertebra) because it has an anterior and posterior arch that allows for flexible rotation of the head

Question 5

What is the primary function of the vertebral body?

Answer 5

transfer weight along the axis of the vertebral column

Question 6

Which feature is only found in cervical vertebrae?

Answer 6

transverse foramina

Question 7

Excluding the sacrum and coccyx, which are collections of fused vertebrae in adults, how many vertebrae are in the adult skeleton?

Answer 7

24

Question 8

One section of the vertebrae tends to carry the most weight and strain, and accordingly those vertebrae have the largest vertebral bodies. Which section of vertebrae is this?

Answer 8

lumbar

Question 9

How many thoracic vertebrae are in the vertebral column?

Answer 9

12

Question 10

Which of the following characteristics belong to the lumbar region? Explain what is wrong with other answers.
1. Blunt spinous process
2. Small superior articular processes facing anteriorly
3. Facet joints
4. Long transverse processes

Answer 10

Correct: Blunt spinous processes
-they have LARGE anterior processes, superior facing backwards and inferior facing forwards
-no facet joints
-SHORT transverse processes

Question 11

An intervertebral disc is an example of what type of cartilage?

Answer 11

Fibrocartilage

Question 12

The largest ligament of the vertebral column prevents excessive backward bending (hyperextension) and is known as the?

Answer 12

Anterior longitudinal

Question 13

What is a true rib, and which ribs are they?

Answer 13

has a direct attachment to the sternum; ribs 1-7

Question 14

The most superior, U-shaped notch on the manubrium of the sternum is called?

Answer 14

the jugular (suprasternal) notch

Question 15

Rib 5 articulates with the transverse process of which thoracic vertebrae?

Answer 15

T5

Question 16

Where is the spinous processes located? What is their function?

Answer 16

-projects posteriorly at the midline of the back
-serve as important muscle attachment site

Question 17

Where are transverse processes located?

Answer 17

projects laterally and arises from the junction point between the pedicle and lamina

Question 18

The paired _________ articular processes of one vertebra join with the corresponding paired ________ articular processes from the next higher vertebra.

Answer 18

superior (faces up); inferior (faces down)

Question 19

The large opening between the vertebral arch and body is the ___________ __________, which contains the spinal cord.

Answer 19

vertebral foramen

Question 20

the opening through which a spinal nerve exits from the vertebral column is the:

Answer 20

intervertebral column

Question 21

What does the body of the vertebral column do?

Answer 21

it is the anterior portion of each vertebra and is the part that supports the body weight

Question 22

What are features of the cervical vertebrae?

Answer 22

-small body, reflecting that they carry the least amount of body weight
-bifid (Y-shaped) spinous process
-C3–C6 vertebrae’s spinous processes are short, but the spine of C7 is much longer
-transverse processes of the cervical vertebrae are sharply curved (U-shaped) to allow for the cervical spinal nerves’ passage

Question 23

What is the transverse foramen?

Answer 23

an opening in each transverse process that has an important artery that supplies the brain ascends the neck by passing through these opening

Question 24

In the thoracic vertebrae, _______ ________ ________ of thoracic vertebrae face posteriorly, and the _______ _______ _________ face anteriorly

Answer 24

superior articular facets; inferior articular facets

Question 25

What is the function of the axis?

Answer 25

it is the second cervical vertebrae (C2); serves as the axis for rotation when turning the head toward the right or left

Question 26

What feature most easily characterizes the axis?

Answer 26

dens

Question 27

Describe what dens are:

Answer 27

a bony projection that extends upward from the vertebral body

Question 28

What does the thoracic cage protect?

Answer 28

the heart and the lungs

Question 29

The characteristic feature for a typical midthoracic vertebra is the _________ _________, which is long and has a pronounced downward angle that causes it to overlap the next inferior vertebra

Answer 29

spinous process

Question 30

Thoracic vertebrae have several additional articulation sites, each of which is called a _______, where a rib is attached.

Answer 30

facet

Question 31

What is a costal(demi) facet?

Answer 31

in most thoracic vertebrae, the two facets located on the lateral sides of the body

Question 32

What vertebrae carry the greatest amount of body weight and are thus characterized by the vertebral body’s large size and thickness?

Answer 32

lumbar vertebrae

Question 33

What is the sacrum?

Answer 33

triangular-shaped bone that is thick and wide across its superior base, where it is weight-bearing and then tapers down to an inferior, non-weight bearing apex (lower tip that connect to coccyx)

Question 34

What is the coccyx?

Answer 34

the tailbone; articulates with the inferior tip of the sacrum and is not weight-bearing in the standing position but may receive some bodyweight when sitting

Question 35

What are the primary curvatures?

Answer 35

-thoracic -sacral

Question 36

What are the secondary curvatures?

Answer 36

-cervical -lumbar

Question 37

What are the three disorders associated with curvatures?

Answer 37

-Kyphosis -Lordosis -Scoliosis

Question 38

Describe the disorder kyphosis:

Answer 38

excessive posterior curvature of the thoracic region

Question 39

Describe the disorder lordosis:

Answer 39

excessive anterior curvature of the lumbar region

Question 40

Describe the disorder scoliosis:

Answer 40

an abnormal, lateral curvature, accompanied by twisting of the vertebral column

Question 41

What does the intervertebral disc do?

Answer 41

-fibrocartilaginous pad that fills the gap between adjacent vertebral bodies -each disc is anchored to the bodies of its adjacent vertebrae, thus strongly uniting these -the discs also provide padding between vertebrae during weight-bearing

Question 42

Each intervertebral disc consists of two parts, what are they?

Answer 42

1. Annulus fibrosus 2. Nucleus fibrosus

Question 43

Inside the annulus fibrosus is the ________ _________, consisting of a softer, more gel-like material. It has a high water content that serves to resist compression and thus is important for weight-bearing

Answer 43

Nucleus fibrosus

Question 43

The __________ ________ is the tough, fibrous outer layer of the disc. It forms a circle and is firmly anchored to the outer margins of the adjacent vertebral bodies

Answer 43

annulus fibrosus

Question 44

T/F: With aging, the intervertebral disc becomes thinner, decreasing total body height somewhat, and reduces the disc’s flexibility and range of motion, making bending more difficult

Answer 44

True

Question 45

Which ligament is found anterior to the spinal cord, attached to the posterior sides of the vertebral bodies and provides support for forward bending?

Answer 45

posterior longitudinal ligament

Question 46

Posterior to the spinal cord is what ligament? What does it do?

Answer 46

ligamentum flavum; has large numbers of elastic fibers, which have a yellowish color, allowing it to stretch and then pull back, provides important support for the vertebral column when bending forward

Question 47

Which ligament can expand to become the nuchal ligament?

Answer 47

superspinous ligament

Question 48

What are false ribs?

Answer 48

ribs that do not attach directly to the sternum; ribs 8-12

Question 49

What are floating ribs?

Answer 49

short ribs that do not attach to the sternum at all; ribs 11 and 12

Question 50

Each ribs ends in a _____ ________

Answer 50

costal cartilage

Question 51

What is costal cartilage?

Answer 51

most ribs are attached, either directly or indirectly, to the sternum via their costal cartilage; made of hyaline

Question 52

The posterior end of a typical rib is called the ______ of the rib

Answer 52

head

Question 53

What is the elongated bony structure that anchors the anterior thoracic cage?

Answer 53

The sternum

Question 54

What three parts does the sternum consist of?

Answer 54

the manubrium, body, and xiphoid process

Question 55

What is the wider, superior portion of the sternum called?

Answer 55

the manubrium

Question 56

The top of the manubrium has a shallow, U-shaped border. What is this called?

Answer 56

the jugular (suprasternal) notch

Question 57

The shallow depression located on either side at the superior-lateral margins of the manubrium is called what?

Answer 57

the clavicular notch

Question 58

What is the xiphoid process?

Answer 58

the inferior tip of the sternum

Question 58

The elongated, central portion of the sternum is the _____

Answer 58

body

Question 59

What is the series of 11 nerves that run between the ribs in the thoracic region of the spine?

Answer 59

intercostal nerves

Question 60

What are intercostal arteries

Answer 60

a group of arteries that run alongside the ribs and supply blood to the intercostal spaces

Question 61

Describe the intercostal veins

Answer 61

a network of veins located between the ribs (intercostal spaces). They play a crucial role in draining blood from the chest wall and other structures in the thoracic region

Question 62

What are the muscles that act on (keep the spine upright) the vertebral column called?

Answer 62

the erector spinae muscles (ilioocostalis, longissimus, spinalis)

Question 63

Which muscle of the abdominal wall is deep lateral muscle directed horizontally?

Answer 63

transverse abdominis

Question 64

Which abdominal wall muscle is anterior connecting the sternum to pubic bone? What happens when its acted on?

Answer 64

the rectus abdominis; flexes the vertebral column and compresses abdominal wall

Question 65

Which abdominal wall muscle has fibers oriented like "hands in pocket"? Which is oriented upwards and inwards ("sleeping beauty")

Answer 65

external oblique; internal oblique

Question 66

What does the inguinal ligament do?

Answer 66

its the thick, under-turned inferior margin of the external oblique that helps hold structures passing from the trunk to the lower limb against the body in hip flexion

Question 67

. Most thoracic vertebrae have two facets located on the lateral sides of the body, each of which is called a ______ ______ _______. These are for articulation with the head (end) of a rib.

Answer 67

costal demi facet

Question 68

A small bump on the posterior rib surface is the:

Answer 68

tubercle of the rib

Question 69

Just lateral to the tubercle is the _____ of the rib, the point at which the rib has its greatest degree of curvature.

Answer 69

angle

Question 70

The majority of the rib is called the:

Answer 70

body/shaft

Question 71

Lateral to the head is the _____ of the rib

Answer 71

neck