Spine anatomy Flashcards
(89 cards)
1
Q
How many vertebrae are there?
A
33
2
Q
What are the sections of the spine?
A
Cervical Thoracic Lumbar Sacral Coccygeal
3
Q
How many vertebrae are in the cervical spine?
A
7
4
Q
How many vertebrae are in the thoracic spine?
A
12
5
Q
How many vertebrae are in the lumbar spine?
A
5
6
Q
How many vertebrae are in the sacral spine?
A
5
7
Q
How many vertebrae are in the coccyx?
A
4
8
Q
How many curves are there in the spine?
A
4
9
Q
Name the curves of the spine
A
Cervical lordosis
Thoracic kyphosis
Lumbar lordosis
10
Q
What is C1 called?
A
Atlas
11
Q
What is C2 called?
A
Axis
12
Q
What is the bit that C2 has that C1 doesn’t?
A
Odontyoid process
13
Q
What is the first palpable cervical vertebrae?
A
C7
14
Q
Where is the pedicle of a vertebrae?
A
The “foot”
Attaches to the body
15
Q
What is the bit that is palpable on the spine?
A
Spinous process
16
Q
What is the bit beside the spinous process called?
A
Transverse process
17
Q
Where is a facet joint?
A
Created by the superior and inferior facet articulations of the vertebrae
18
Q
What kind of joints are facet joints?
A
Synovial joints
19
Q
What disease can develop in the facet joints?
A
Osteoarthritis
20
Q
What are the two layers of the intervertebral discs?
A
Annulus fibrosus
Nucleus pulposus
21
Q
What can happen if the nucleus pulposus escapes from the annulus fibrosis?
A
prolapsed disc
22
Q
What is the nucleus pulposus made of?
A
Gelatinous material
23
Q
Where is the intraspinous ligament?
A
Between the body of the spinous processes of each vertebrae
24
Q
Where are the supraspinous ligaments?
A
Between tips of the spinous processes
25
Where are the ligamentum flavum?
Attaches the vertebral lamina together
26
How far do the anterior and posterior longtitudinal ligaments run?
The whole length of the vertebral column
27
What are the 3 types of muscle in the spine?
Superficial/extrinsic
Intermediate
Deep
28
What is the origin and insertion of the intermediate muscles?
Spinous process and insert to ribs.
29
Give an example of an intermediate spinal muscle
Serratus inferior
30
What is the function of the superficial muscles of the spine?
Movement of shoulder and upper limb
31
What are the 5 superficial muscles of the spine?
Trapezius
Lattissimus dorsi
Rhomboid minor and major
Levatus scapularis
32
Where is the trapezius?
Originates at the spinous process as far as T12
| Inserts to the occiput and the spine of the scapula
33
What is the nerve innervation to the trapezius?
CN XI
| Accessory nerve
34
What is the function of the trapezius?
Elevates, depresses and retracts scapula
35
What is the function of latissimus dorsi?
Adducts, extends and internally rotates the humerus
36
What is the origin and insertion of latissimus dorsi?
Origin: spinous process and pelvis
Insertion: humerus
37
What is the nerve innervation to latissimus dorsi?
C6,7 and 8
38
What is the function of levatus scapularis?
Elevates the scapula
39
What is the origin and insertion of levatus scapularis?
Transverse process of C1
| Superior angle of scapula
40
What is the nerve innervation of levatus scapularis?
C4/5
41
What is the function of the rhomboid major and minors?
Keeps scapular against thoracic wall
42
What is the origin of rhomboid major?
Spinous process C7/T1
43
What is the origin of rhomboid minor?
Spinous process T2-T5
44
What is the nerve innervation of the rhomboids?
Dorsal scapular nerve C3/C4
45
What are the deep intrinsic spinal muscles called?
Erector spinae muscles
46
What is their function?
Movement of vertebral column and posture
47
Why are the erector spinae muscles clinically relevant?
Largest group of muscles in the back
| Pain due to spasm in trauma
48
What is the origin of the erector spinae?
Occiput of the skull
49
Where does the erector spinae insert?
Pelvis
50
What are the 3 erector spinae muscles?
Lateral: iliocostalis
Longismus thoracis
Spinalis thoarcis
51
Where does the spinal cord originate from in the brain?
Medulla oblongata
52
What is the hole in the skull called from where it exits?
Foramen magnum
53
Where does the spinal cord terminate?
Cauda equina at L2
54
What comes off at each vertebral level?
Nerve roots
55
What is a myotome?
Muscles controlled by the motor element of the nerve root
56
How are myotomes named?
Same as dermatomes
57
What is a dermatome?
Skin sensation supplied by the sensory element of the nerve root
58
True or False
| In the spinal cord, the white matter is on the inside.
False
| White matter is on the outside
59
What is found in the white matter?
Ascending sensory tracts
| Descending motor tracts
60
What is the crossed pyramidal motor tract?
Crosses at medullary level.
| AKA lateral cerebrospinal tract
61
What is the anterior cerebrospinal tract?
Uncrossed pyramidal.
| Crosses at the same level it exits.
62
What are the two ascending sensory tracts?
Anterior and posterior spinocerebellar tracts.
63
Where do the ascending sensory tracts travel ?
On the ipsilateral side of the cord to the cerebellum
64
What do the ascending sensory tracts do?
Carry information from the skin to the brain regarding proprioception
65
What are the lateral and anterior spinothelamic tracts?
Carry information relating to pain and temperature.
66
Where do the lateral and anterior spinothelamic tracts travel?
Initially ipsilateral then cross to contralateral cord.
| Enters the thalamus
67
What are the posterior column of the ascending sensory tracts called?
Fasciculus gracilis of Goll
| Fasciculus cuneatus of Burdach
68
What do the posterior columns of the ascending tracts do?
Carry information to fine touch and proprioception, ipsilaterally.
69
In the grey matter, what is the route of the descending motor tracts?
Tracts enter the anterior horn of the grey matter and are transmitted via the ventral root to the nerve root and then the muscle.
70
Where does the ventral root connect to on the vertebral body?
The anterior side
71
Where does the dorsal root connect to?
The posterior side
72
What do the the ventral and dorsal roots join to become?
The nerve root
73
What does the nerve root divide to become?
Anterior and posterior rami
74
What do the posterior rami carry?
Sensory and motor fibres to the intrinsic muscles of the back
75
What do the anterior rami carry?
Sensory and motor fibres to the rest of the body and limbs
76
Where do the nerve roots exit the spinal column?
Intervertebral foramen, between superior and inferior pedicles
77
What is a prolapsed disc?
Part of the nucleus pulposus bulges through the annulus fibrosis and presses on the nerve root.
78
What nerve roots are involved in cauda equina?
L2-L5
S1-S5
Coccygeal
79
What do these nerves in the cauda equina innervate?
Pelvis organs
| Lower limbs
80
What are the motor functions of the cauda equina nerves?
Hips, knees, ankles, internal and external anal sphincter
81
What are the sensory functions of the cauda equina?
Hips, knees, ankles, feet and perineum
82
What is the arterial supply to the spine?
Anterior and posterior spinal arteries
83
Where do the spinal arteries come from?
Intercranial part of the vertebral artery.
84
What other arteries also feed into the spinal arteries?
Cervical, intercostal and lumbar arteries
85
What is the cerebrospinal venous system?
Interconnection of the venous system of the brain and the spine
86
What is Batson's venous plexus?
Network of valveless veins.
| Connects deep pelvic veins and thoracic veins to the internal vertebral venous plexuses
87
Why is Batson's venous plexus of significance?
If carcinoma in prostate then can easily spread haematologically to brain
88
What lies in the transverse foramen?
Vertebral artery, vein and nerve fibres
89
What is a gibbus?
Wedging of a vertebrae causing an angular deformity
