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Anatomy 3 > Vertebral Column > Flashcards

Vertebral Column Flashcards

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1
Q

What does vertebral column refer to?

A

skeleton of the neck and back

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2
Q

What is the function of the vertebral column?

A

support weight
protect spinal cord
serve as axis and pivot
aid in posture and movement

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3
Q

How many different segments does the vertebral column have? What are they?

A

5, cervical, thoracic, lumbar, sacral, coccygeal

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4
Q

How many cervical vertebrae are there?

A

7, C1-C7

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5
Q

How many thoracic vertebrae are there?

A

12, T1-T12

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6
Q

How many lumbar vertebrae are there?

A

5, L1-L5

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7
Q

How many sacral vertebrae are there?

A

5, S1-S5

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8
Q

How many coccygeal vertebrae are there?

A

It is variable, but there are typically 4

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9
Q

What is the general plan of a vertebra?

A

A vertebra consist of:
vertebral body (anteriorly)
vertebral/ neural arch (posteriorly)
vertebral processes

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10
Q

What is the main function of the vertebral body?

A

it is the weight-bearing component, size increases from cranial to caudal end of vertebral column

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11
Q

What are the components of a vertebral/neural arch?

A

paired pedicles, paired laminae, a vertebral foramen, and superior and inferior vertebral notches

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12
Q

What do the pedicles do?

A

they join the vertebral arch to the vertebral body

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13
Q

What are the laminae?

A

they are flat plates contacting pedicles

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14
Q

What does the vertebral foramen form?

A

vertebral canal

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15
Q

What do the superior and inferior vertebral notches form? And what is its function?

A

they form the intervertebral foramina that allows the spinal nerves to exit

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16
Q

Name the vertebral processes

A

spinous process, transverse process, and articular process (zygapophysis)

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17
Q

How many articular processes are there?

A

4 per vertebra (2 superior - pre-zygapophyses and 2 inferior - post-zygapophyses)

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18
Q

The right and left vertebral arteries ascend from what artery?

A

subclavian artery

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19
Q

At the level of C1-C6, what do the verterbral arteries run through?

A

transverse foramina

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20
Q

At the level of C7, where does the vertebral artery run?

A

Alongside C7, not through

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21
Q

Where are the anterior and posterior tubercles located?

A

On the transverse processes

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22
Q

What is the carotid tubercle?

A

anterior tubercle on C6

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23
Q

What is the clinical significance of the carotid tubercle?

A

occlude blood flow by pushing the carotid artery up against the carotid tubercle

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24
Q

Which of the cervical vertebrae (C1-C7) does the vertebral foramina appear larger?

A

C3-C7

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25
What is the uncinate process?
raised margins of the superior border of the vertebral body (saddle-shaped)
26
C1 is also known as what?
atlas
27
C2 is also known as what?
axis
28
What does the C1 articulates with?
occipital condyles
29
What is different about C1 from a typical vertebra?
- lacks vertebral body | - there's a groove present for vertebral artery
30
What is the remnant of C1 on C2 called?
dens/odontoid process
31
What is another name for C7?
vertebra prominens
32
What is unique about C7?
long spinous process
33
Where does the rib head articulate into?
superior and inferior costal facet
34
Where does the rib tubercle articulate into?
transverse costal facet
35
Which thoracic vertebrae do not have transverse costal facet?
T11 and T12
36
What are the two specialized processes in the lumbar vertebrae?
accessory and mamillary
37
What attaches to the accessory process?
intertransverse lumborum muscles
38
What attaches to the mamillary process?
multifudus and median intertransverse muscles
39
Which vertebra is the largest?
L5
40
What is lumbosacral angle?
the angle between lumbar and sacral vertebrae | ~ 120 degrees
41
What is a big contributor to the lumbosacral angle?
L5
42
Which vertebrae fuse to form the sacrum?
S1-S5
43
What is the function of the sacrum?
transfer body weight to pelvis and contribute to strength and stability
44
Sacral canal
sacral continuation of vertebral canal
45
Sacral foramina
between vertebrae
46
Where do nerves exit in the sacrum?
sacral foramina
47
Sacral promontory
anterosuperior projecting edge of S1
48
Median crest
fused spinous processes
49
Medial crest
fused articular processes
50
Lateral crest
fused transverse processes
51
Sacral hiatus
gap in laminae
52
Sacral cornua (horns)
former inferior articular processes of S5
53
Auricular surface
part of sacroiliac joint
54
What is the function of the auricular surface?
helps transfer weight from vertebral column to the lower limb
55
Coccygeal cornua (horns)
part of Co 1, articulate with sacral horn
56
Which two curvatures are anteriorly convex and are secondary curvatures?
cervical and lumbar, aka lordoses
57
Which two curvatures are anteriorly concave and are primary curvatures?
thoracic and sacral, aka kyphoses
58
When does primary curvature develop?
present at birth
59
When does secondary curvature develop?
develops with age
60
What is the development of primary curvature due to?
differences in height between anterior and posterior parts of vertebrae
61
What is the development of secondary curvature due to?
differences in thickness between anterior and posterior parts of intervertebral discs
62
What kind of movements can the vertebral column perform?
flexion/extension, lateral bending, and rotation
63
What are the movements of the vertebral column restricted by?
IV discs, orientation of zygapophysical joints, articular capsules, muscles and ligaments
64
Range of motion of the vertebral column results from what?
primarily from elasticity of IV discs
65
What is lordosis?
accentuation of secondary curvatures (cervical and lumbar)
66
What is kyphosis?
accentuation of primary curvatures (thoracic and sacral)
67
What is scoliosis?
lateral deviation of vertebral column
68
What are some degenerative changes in vertebrae?
osteoporosis and osteoarthritis
69
What provides strong attachments between vertebral bodies?
intervertebral discs
70
Intervertebral discs are consist of what two parts?
anulus fibrosus and nucleus pulposus
71
Anulus fibrosus
outer portion of concentric fibrocartilaginous circles
72
Nucleus pulposus
slightly posteriorly positioned gelatinous, elastic, avascular core
73
What is remnant of embryological notochord?
IV disc
74
IV disc is not present in what part of the vertebral column?
between C1-C2
75
What kind of movement do uncovertebral joints prevent?
anterior/posterior slipping
76
Uncovertebral joints
joints between unicate process of C3-C6 and superjacent body
77
What kind of joints are vertebral arch joints?
synovial
78
Where are vertebral arch joints located?
between superior and inferior articular processes
79
What kind of movement do vertebral arch joints allow?
gliding between vertebrae
80
What limits movements of vertebral arch joints?
variable orientation
81
What's the function of ligaments?
help prevent herniation and displacement of vertebrae
82
Anterior longitudinal ligaments
strong band extending across anterolateral vertebral bodies and IV discs
83
What movement do anterior longitudinal ligaments prevent?
hyperextension of vertebral column
84
Where do anterior longitudinal ligaments expand to?
extends from sacrum to occiput and C1's anterior tubercle
85
What's the function of anterior longitudinal ligaments?
stabilizes vertebral body joints
86
Posterior longitudinal ligaments
weaker band extending along anterior aspect of vertebral canal
87
What movement do posterior longitudinal ligaments prevent?
hyperflexion of vertebral column and herniation/ protusion of discs
88
What's the function of accessory longitudinal ligaments
stabilize laminae, transverse processes, and spinous processes
89
Ligament flava "yellow ligaments"
broad, yellow fibrous tissue extending along posterior wall
90
Where do ligament flava attach to?
adjacent laminae
91
What movement does ligament flava prevent?
abrupt flexion of vertebral column, prevents injury to IV discs
92
Interspinous ligaments
connect spinous processes
93
supraspinous ligaments
connect tips of spinous processes
94
What do you find supraspinous ligaments?
C7-sacrum
95
What do supraspinous ligaments merge with?
ligamentum nuchae
96
Nuchal ligament (ligamentum nuchae)
extends from external occipital protuberance and posterior foramen magnum to spinous processes
97
Intra-transverse ligaments
- connects adjacent transverse processes | - obvious in thorax
98
Where is atlanto-occipital joint located?
between C1 and occipital bone of cranium
99
Where is alanto-axial joint located?
between C1 and C2
100
What kind of movements do atlanto-occiptal joints allow?
- primarily allow nodding of head (flexion/extension) | - lateral bending and rotation
101
What kind of movements do atlanto-axial joints allow?
primarily rotation
102
Alantooccipital membranes
extend from atlas to margins of foramen magnum
103
What ligaments prevent excessive movement of the head?
alantooccipital membranes
104
Transverse ligament of atlas
- holds dens of C2 with arch of C1 | - posterior wall of dens' socket
105
longitudinal bands
extend from transverse ligament to occipital bone and body of C2 (superior and inferior)
106
Alar ligaments
extend from sides of dens to C1 and foramen magnum
107
What ligaments limit head rotation?
alar ligaments
108
tectorial membrane
extends from C2 and through foramen magnum
109
Tectorial membrane is a continuation of what ligament?
posterior longitudinal ligament
110
What ligaments make cruciate ligaments?
superior and inferior longitudinal bands and transverse ligament of atlas
111
How many alanto-axial joints are there? What are they?
2 lateral atlanto-axial joints (right and left) and 1 median atlanto-axial joint
112
Which alanto-axial joint is a pivot joint?
median atlanto-axial joint
113
What spinal arteries will you find in the neck?
vertebral and ascending cervical arteries
114
What spinal arteries will you find in the thorax ?
posterior intercostal arteries
115
What spinal arteries will you find in the abdomen?
subcostal and lumbar arteries
116
What spinal arteries will you find in the pelvis?
iliolumbar and lateral and medial sacral arteries
117
What venous vessels are there for the vertebrae?
internal and external venous plexus (anterior and posterior components)

Anatomy 3 (12 decks)

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