Osteology of the Spine

Question 1

total number of vertebrae?

Answer 1

33

Question 2

how many of each vertebral type?

Answer 2

7 cervical
12 thoracic
5 lumbar
5 sacral (fused)
4 coccygeal (usually fused)

Question 3

what is unique about the spinal column?

Answer 3

no two vertebrae are alike

**like a puzzle

Question 4

sacralization?

Answer 4

fusion of fifth lumbar with sacrum

Question 5

lumbarization?

Answer 5

failure of fusion of the first sacral vertebrae with sacrum

Question 6

trends of vertebrae?

Answer 6

become larger inferiorly with increased weight bearing function

Question 7

function of vertebral body?

Answer 7

supports body weight

Question 8

form of vertebral body?

Answer 8

inner trabecular (cancellous) bone
outer compact bone layer

Question 9

what can lead to compression fracture?

Answer 9

demineralization of spongy bone

Question 10

trends of vertebral foramen?

Answer 10

**spinal cord formed first

larger where you go to limbs

cervical and lumbar - triangular

Question 11

vertebral arch?

Answer 11

made up of pedicle and lamina

protects the spinal cord

Question 12

formation of transverse process?

Answer 12

fusion of pedicle and lamina

Question 13

formation of spinous process?

Answer 13

fusion of two lamina

Question 14

function of processes?

Answer 14

muscle attachments

Question 15

function of articular processes?

Answer 15

restriction of movement

Question 16

atypical cervical vertebrae?

Answer 16

CV1, CV2, and CV7

Question 17

characteristics of cervical vertebrae?

Answer 17

smaller body
larger vertebral foramen

has transverse foramen

Question 18

transverse process of cervical vertebrae?

Answer 18

has sulcus for spinal nerve

has posterior and anterior tubercle

**unique to cervical vertebrae

Question 19

vertebral notches

Answer 19

superior and inferior indentations of pedicle

-form the intervertebral foramen

Question 20

spinous process of cervical vertebrae?

Answer 20

short
**bifid
downward projection

Question 21

articulating facets of cervical vertebrae?

Answer 21

obliquely and coronally oriented

allow movement

Question 22

CV1

Answer 22

atlas

Question 23

unique to atlas?

Answer 23

has no body

constructed of two lateral masses connected by anterior and posterior arch

Question 24

anterior arch of atlas?

Answer 24

tubercle and facet for dens (of CV2)

Question 25

posterior arch of axis?

Answer 25

tubercle and sulcus for vertebral artery

Question 26

sulcus for vertebral artery?

Answer 26

on posterior arch of axis

Question 27

how to tell if you are anterior atlas?

Answer 27

it has kidney bean shape

Question 28

articulation of skull-CV1?

Answer 28

extend/flex neck

Question 29

articulation of CV1-CV2?

Answer 29

rotate head

Question 30

when skull moves what else moves?

Answer 30

atlas

Question 31

first bifid spinous process?

Answer 31

on CV2

Question 32

odontoid process?

Answer 32

dens on the superior axis

Question 33

vertebra prominens

Answer 33

long spinous process of CV7

Question 34

body of thoracic?

Answer 34

heat-shaped **has two costal facets per side

Question 35

how to number ribs?

Answer 35

take the number of vertebrae below | -bc of articulation with the transverse process facet

Question 36

atypical thoracic vertebrae?

Answer 36

1, 10, 11, 12 **have a singular complete facet for rib

Question 37

demi facet?

Answer 37

costal facet on thoracic vertebrae

Question 38

articulation of the thoracic vertebrae?

Answer 38

oriented vertically in coronal plane - superior - posterior, superior, lateral - inferior - anterior, inferior, medial

Question 39

spinous processes of the thoracic?

Answer 39

overlap one another | directed inferiorly

Question 40

transverse process of thoracic?

Answer 40

has a facet for articulation with costal tubercle of rib

Question 41

vertebral foramen of thoracic?

Answer 41

circular **most narrow diameter of entire column

Question 42

lumbar body?

Answer 42

increased in size for weight-bearing

Question 43

lumbar pedicle?

Answer 43

short but strong

Question 44

articulation of the lumbar?

Answer 44

oriented vertically and SAGITALLY** - superior - medial - inferior - lateral

Question 45

what facilitates a lumbar puncture?

Answer 45

short and non-overlapping laminae

Question 46

pars interarticularis

Answer 46

area of lamina between superior and inferior articulating processes

Question 47

spinous processes of lumbar?

Answer 47

thick and strong project dorsal for erector spinae attachment

Question 48

mamillary processes?

Answer 48

**lumbar vertebrae on posterolateral surface of superior articulating surface -muscle attachment sites

Question 49

accessory mamillary processes?

Answer 49

muscle attachment between transverse process and superior articulating process

Question 50

vertebral foramen of the lumbar?

Answer 50

triangulated

Question 51

where does spinal cord end?

Answer 51

L1-L2 so you can spinal tap below that **lumbar puncture in child - as low as possible

Question 52

sacrum?

Answer 52

five fused vertebrae

Question 53

ala?

Answer 53

fused cotal and transverse processes of sacral vertebrae

Question 54

articular surface of sacrum?

Answer 54

articulates with ilium of os coxa

Question 55

median sacral crest?

Answer 55

fusion of spinous processes

Question 56

intermediate sacral crest?

Answer 56

fusion of articular processes

Question 57

lateral sacral crest?

Answer 57

fusion of transverse processes

Question 58

sacral hiatus?

Answer 58

opening at base of sacrum | **failure of fusion of the SV5 and sometimes SV4

Question 59

sacral cornua?

Answer 59

horns of the unfused sacrum forming the sacral hiatus tubercles of inferior articulating processes of SV5

Question 60

site of epidural injection?

Answer 60

sacral hiatus

Question 61

coccyx

Answer 61

four fused segments | consists of bodies only

Question 62

coccygeal horns

Answer 62

posterior tubercles which when articulated with sacral horns form the fifth sacral vertebral foramen

Question 63

stability of regions of the spinal column?

Answer 63

body and two pillars form a triangle lumbar has equilateral triangle (most stable) as you go down the pillars get farther apart

Question 64

promontory?

Answer 64

anterior edge of the sacrum