Vertebral Column

Question 1

How many cervical vertebrae are there?

Answer 1

7

Question 2

How many thoracic vertebrae are there?

Answer 2

12

Question 3

How many lumbar vertebrae are there?

Answer 3

5

Question 4

How many sacral vertebrae are there?

Answer 4

5

Question 5

How many coccygeal vertebrae are there?

Answer 5

4 (or 1)

Question 6

Is the vertebral body anterior or posterior?

Answer 6

Anterior

Question 7

What makes up the vertebral arch?

Answer 7

Pedicle, lamina, superior & inferior articular processes, spinous process, transverse processes

Question 8

What is a pedicle

Answer 8

Attaches transverse process to vertebral body

Question 9

What is a lamina

Answer 9

Attaches transverse process to spinous process

Question 10

What are the distinctive features of typical cervical vertebrae?

Answer 10

Triangular vertebral foramen
Bifid spinous process
Transverse foramina

Question 11

What passes through transverse foramina?

Answer 11

Vertebral arteries

Question 12

What are the distinctive features of C7 vertebra?

Answer 12

Very long spinous process, very small (sometimes absent) transverse foramina

Question 13

What is C1 vertebra also known as?

Answer 13

Atlas

Question 14

What is C2 vertebra also known as?

Answer 14

Axis

Question 15

Which cervical vertebrae are atypical?

Answer 15

C1 and C2

Question 16

What are the distinctive features of C1 vertebra?

Answer 16

No spinous process
No vertebral body
Anterior and posterior vertebral arches
Lateral tubercle for transverse ligament

Question 17

What is the distinctive feature of C2 vertebra?

Answer 17

Has dens/odontoid process

Question 18

What holds dens in place?

Answer 18

Transverse ligament of C1 vertebra

Question 19

What are the distinctive features of thoracic vertebrae?

Answer 19

Heart shaped vertebral body
Costal demi-facets on each side of vertebral body
Costal facets on end of transverse processes
Long, inferiorly slanting spinous process

Question 20

How do thoracic vertebrae articulate with ribs?

Answer 20

Head of rib articulates with inferior costal demi-facet of vertebra above and superior costal demi-facet of corresponding vertebra.
Costal facets on transverse processes articulate with tubercle of corresponding rib

Question 21

What are the distinctive features of lumbar vertebrae?

Answer 21

Large kidney-shaped vertebral bodies
Triangular vertebral foramen
Short spinous process
Shorter transverse processes
Superior articular facets face medially
Inferior articular facets face laterally

Question 22

What is an ala?

Answer 22

Large triangular surface either side of sacrum, continuous with iliac fossa

Question 23

Where do the sacral spinal nerves leave?

Answer 23

Anterior and posterior sacral foramina

Question 24

What are the coccygeal cornua?

Answer 24

Two superior protrusions that articulate with sacrum

Question 25

What are the facet/zygapophyseal joints between?

Answer 25

Superior and inferior articular processes

Question 26

What makes up the intervertebral discs?

Answer 26

Annulus fibrosis - outer ring | Nucleus pulposus - inner ball

Question 27

What are the attachments and function of the anterior longitudinal ligament?

Answer 27

Occipital bone and C1 to sacrum | Resists hyperextension of vertebral column

Question 28

What are the attachments and function of the posterior longitudinal ligament?

Answer 28

C2 to sacrum | Prevents hyperflexion of vertebral column

Question 29

What are the attachments and function of the ligamentum flavum?

Answer 29

Lamina of adjacent vertebrae | Prevents hyperflexion and preserves upright posture

Question 30

What are the attachments and function of the ligamentum nuchae?

Answer 30

External occipital protuberance to spinous process of C7 | Prevents hyperflexion

Question 31

What are the attachments and function of the interspinous ligaments?

Answer 31

Length of spinous process to length of adjacent spinous process Prevents hyperflexion

Question 32

What are the attachments of supraspinous ligaments?

Answer 32

Spinous process to spinous process

Question 33

What are the attachments of intertransverse ligaments?

Answer 33

Transverse process to transverse process

Question 34

What are the curvatures of the spine?

Answer 34

Cervical and lumbar - lordosis | Thoracic and sacral - kyphosis

Question 35

What is a slipped disc?

Answer 35

Herniation of nucleus pulposus (usually L4/L5 or L5/S1)

Question 36

What vertebral level does spinal cord end in adults?

Answer 36

L1/L2

Question 37

What vertebral level does the spinal cord end in newborns?

Answer 37

L3

Question 38

What does the epidural space contain?

Answer 38

Lymphatics, spinal nerve roots, connective tissue, small arteries, venous plexuses

Question 39

Where do spinal arteries originate?

Answer 39

Vertebral arteries

Question 40

What does the anterior spinal artery supply?

Answer 40

Pia mater, anterior 2/3 of spinal cord, cauda equina

Question 41

What do the two posterior spinal arteries supply?

Answer 41

Posterior 1/3 of spinal cord

Question 42

What arteries reinforce the spinal arteries?

Answer 42

Radicular branches of intercostal and lumbar arteries

Question 43

Are the cervical spinal nerves above or below their corresponding vertebra?

Answer 43

Above

Question 44

Are the thoracic, lumbar, sacral and coccygeal spinal nerves above or below their corresponding vertebra?

Answer 44

Below

Question 45

What is the conus medullaris?

Answer 45

Termination of spinal cord