Typical Lumbars L1-L4

Question 1

What accounts for the direction of the lumbar curve?

Answer 1

the vertebral body and intervertebral disc have a greater anterior height that posterior height

Question 2

What is the effect of aging on the vertebral body of a lumbar vertebra?

Answer 2

Decrease in height, increase circumference

Question 3

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

Answer 3

six

Question 4

What muscles may attach to a typical lumbar vertebral body?

Answer 4

psoas major and psoas minor

Question 5

Psoas minor will only attach to the vertebral body of which segments?

Answer 5

T12, L1

Question 6

What ligaments attach the vertebral body to the transverse process?

Answer 6

corporotransverse ligaments

Question 7

Hofmann ligaments are identified in which regions along the vertebral column?

Answer 7

Cervical- upper thoracic region and lumbar region

Question 8

Cervical - upper thoracic Hofmann ligaments will attach what structures together?

Answer 8

dura mater to segments above

Question 9

What is the highest level know to demonstrate Hofmann ligaments?

Answer 9

C6

Question 10

What is the proposed function of the cervical -upper thoracic Hofmann ligaments?

Answer 10

resist caudal movement of the dural sac; rests gravitational forces on the dura and cord

Question 11

Lumbar Hofmann ligaments will attach what structures together?

Answer 11

dura mater to lower segmental levels

Question 12

What is the proposed function of the lumbar Hofmann ligaments?

Answer 12

rests cranial movement of the dural sac during flexion

Question 13

What is the proposed function of the proximal root sleeve ligaments?

Answer 13

rests displacement of the peripheral nerve system in the intervertebral foramen

Question 14

What osseous conditions of lumbar vertebrae facilitate a spinal tap in this region?

Answer 14

overlap of the laminae, shingling, diminishes; overlap of spinous processes, imbrication, diminishes

Question 15

What is the outline of the vertebral foramen of a typical lumbar vertebra?

Answer 15

triangular

Question 16

Which is the greatest diameter of the vertebral foramen of typical lumbars?

Answer 16

trasverse

Question 17

What part of the central nerve system is present in the lumbar spine?

Answer 17

the conus medullar is is typically present in the vertebral foramen of L1

Question 18

What part of the peripheral nerve system is present in the lumbar spine?

Answer 18

the cauda equina is typically present in the vertebral foramina of L2-L4

Question 19

Beginning with the L1 transverse process, what is the generic direction and relative length of each succeeding lumbar transverse process?

Answer 19

each transverse process is directed straight lateral and increases in length from L1-L3; L4 then begins to decrease in length

Question 20

What is the name of the elevation near the origin of the lumbar transverse process?

Answer 20

accessory process

Question 21

A styloid process occurs with what frequency and as a result of what condition?

Answer 21

7% occurrence as a result of congenital elongation of the lumbar accessory process

Question 22

What parts of a vertebra are attached via the mammillo-accessory ligament?

Answer 22

the mammillary process and accessory process of the same segment

Question 23

What was believed to be entrapped by the mammillo-accessory ligament?

Answer 23

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

Question 24

What muscles attach to the lumbar accessory process?

Answer 24

longissimus thoraces and intertransversarii

Question 25

What muscles may attach to the transverse process of a typical lumbar vertebra?

Answer 25

psoas major, quadratus lumborum, longissimus thoracis, rotator brevis, rotator longus, and intertranversarii

Question 26

What are the posterior elements of the vertebra?

Answer 26

zygapophysis, lamina and spinous process

Question 27

What are the anterior elements of the vertebra?

Answer 27

vertebral body and pedicle

Question 28

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

Answer 28

backward, upward, medial (BUM); typically concave

Question 29

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

Answer 29

forward, lateral, downward (FoLD); significant convexity

Question 30

What is the name given to the projection on the lumbar superior articular process?

Answer 30

mammillary process

Question 31

What muscles will attach to the mammilllay process?

Answer 31

multifidis and intertransverarii

Question 32

What ligament will attach to the lumbar superior articular process and transverse process?

Answer 32

mammillo-accessory ligament

Question 33

What is the position of the lumbar zygapophysis in adults?

Answer 33

the zygapophysis lies in the sagittal plane for L1/L2, L2/L3, and L3/L4; the zygapophysis lies in the coronal plane for L4/L5 and L5/S1

Question 34

What name is given to zygapophyses between vertebral couples that lie in the same plane?

Answer 34

joint symmetry

Question 35

What names are given to the condition in which one zygpophysis of a vertebral couple lies in the coronal plane and the other zygapophysis lies i the sagittal plane?

Answer 35

joint asymmetry or joint tropism

Question 36

Define or describe joint tropism

Answer 36

the condition in which one zygapophysis of a vertebral couple lies in the coronal plane and the other zygapophysis lies in the sagittal plane

Question 37

What is the names of the condition in which the typical lumbar spinous process increases in length due to the aging process?

Answer 37

Baastrup's syndrome or "kissing spines"

Question 38

What is Baastrup's syndrome?

Answer 38

elongation of the lumbar spinous process as a result of aging?

Question 39

What muscles will attach to the typical lumbar spinous process?

Answer 39

latissimus dorsi, serratus posterior inferior, iliocotalis lumborum, longissimus thoracis, spinalis thoracis, multifids, rotator longus, rotator brevis, and interspinalsi

Question 40

What is the appearance of the fifth lumbar vertebral body from the lateral view?

Answer 40

anterior height is greater that posterior height by several millimeters; it appears to form a wedge on a lateral X-ray view

Question 41

How many joint surfaces are present on the vertebral body of the fifth lumbar?

Answer 41

six

Question 42

What joint classification will be observed at the vertebral body of the fifth lumbar?

Answer 42

cartilaginous (amphiarthrosis) symphysis and fibrous (amphiarthrosis) syndesmosis

Question 43

What muscles attach to the fifth lumbar vertebral body?

Answer 43

psoas major

Question 44

What is the name given to ligaments that attach the vertebral body to articular process?

Answer 44

transforaminal ligaments

Question 45

What ligaments attach the vertebral body to the transverse process?

Answer 45

corporotransverse ligaments

Question 46

What characteristic of L1-L4 pedicle may be used to differentiate it from the L5 segment? Be specific and complete as the differences on a segment from each group?

Answer 46

On cranial view, the lateral surface of the pedicle is apparent on a L1-L4 segment. At L5 the transverse process originates from the vertebral body, pedicle and lamina-pedicle region

Question 47

What muscles may attach to the transverse process of the fifth thoracic vertebra?

Answer 47

psoas major, quadratus lumborum, longissimus thoracis, rotator brevis, rotator longus, and intertransversarii

Question 48

What ligaments traditionally attach to the transverse process of the fifth lumbar vertebra?

Answer 48

lumbosacral, iliolumbar and mammillo-accessory ligaments

Question 49

What is the reported angulation and X-ray appearance of the fifth lumbar articular facets?

Answer 49

they lie in the vertical plane and are coronal facets

Question 50

What is the orientation of the fifth lumbar super articular facet?

Answer 50

backward, upward, medial (BUM); typically concave

Question 51

What is the orientation of the fifth lumbar inferior articular facet?

Answer 51

forward, lateral, downward (FoLD); significant convexity

Question 52

What is the names of the condition in which L5 spinous process increases in length due to aging?

Answer 52

Baastrup's syndrome or "kissing spines"

Question 53

What is Knife Clasp syndrome?

Answer 53

The congenital condition in which the L5 spinous process is elongated, the carom exhibits spina bifida and dorsiflexion produces pain

Question 54

What muscles will attach to the fifth lumbar spinous process?

Answer 54

latissimus dorsi, iliocostalis lumborum, longissimus thoracis, multifids, rotator longus, rotator brevis and interspinalis