Notes / Anatomy of Vertebral Column and Spinal Cord_TDS 2025

The vertebral column has __ cervical vertebrae.

7

The vertebral column has __ thoracic vertebrae.

12

The vertebral column has __ lumbar vertebrae.

5

The sacrum consists of __ fused vertebrae.

5

The coccyx consists of __ to __ fused vertebrae.

3 to 4

The primary curvatures of the vertebral column are the __ and __ regions.

thoracic; sacral

The secondary curvatures are found in the __ and __ regions.

cervical; lumbar

Secondary curvatures bring the center of gravity into a __ line.

vertical

The bony bridge connecting the vertebral body to the arch is the __.

pedicle

The posterior portion of the vertebral arch is the __.

lamina

The opening that allows spinal nerves and blood vessels to exit the vertebral canal is the __.

intervertebral foramen

C1 is also called the __.

atlas

C2 is also called the __.

axis

The projection on C2 is called the __.

dens

Typical cervical vertebrae have a __ spinous process.

bifid

Cervical vertebrae contain the __ transversum.

foramen

There are no intervertebral discs between the atlas and the __ bone.

occipital

The joint between the atlas and occipital bone is the __ joint.

atlanto-occipital

The joint between the atlas and axis is the __ joint.

atlantoaxial

These craniovertebral joints are classified as __ joints.

synovial

Thoracic vertebrae articulate with the __.

ribs

Typical thoracic vertebrae (T2-T9) articulate with __ pairs of ribs.

two

The largest and heaviest vertebra is __.

L5

Spondylolisthesis most commonly occurs at the __ articulation.

L5-sacrum

A lumbar puncture obtains a sample of __.

cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

During a lumbar puncture, the spine is placed into __.

flexion

The outer portion of the intervertebral disc is the __.

annulus fibrosus

The center of the intervertebral disc is the __.

nucleus pulposus

The nucleus pulposus primarily absorbs __ forces.

compression

Herniation occurs when the __ weakens.

annulus fibrosus

The ligament that resists abrupt flexion is the __.

ligamentum flavum

The ligament connecting the tips of the spinous processes from C7 to the sacrum is the __ ligament.

supraspinous

Superior to C7, the supraspinous ligament becomes the __.

ligamentum nuchae

The vertebral canal begins at the __.

foramen magnum

The vertebral canal ends at the __ hiatus.

sacral

The thickest meningeal layer is the __ mater.

dura

The innermost meningeal layer is the __ mater.

pia

Cerebrospinal fluid is found in the __ space.

subarachnoid

Denticulate ligaments are extensions of the __ mater.

pia

The filum terminale internus is composed of __ mater.

pia

Epidural anesthesia is injected into the __ space.

epidural

Spinal anesthesia is injected into the __.

cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

Spinal needles are __ than epidural needles.

thinner

There are __ cervical spinal nerves.

8

Spinal nerves are __ nerves because they contain sensory and motor fibers.

mixed

The conus medullaris begins around the __ vertebral level.

L1/L2

The collection of spinal nerve roots inferior to the conus medullaris is called the __.

cauda equina

The mildest form of spina bifida is __.

spina bifida occulta

In myelomeningocele, part of the __ and nerves protrude into the sac.

spinal cord

In meningocele, the __ is not contained within the sac.

spinal cord

Gray matter is rich in nerve cell __.

bodies

White matter is rich in nerve cell __.

processes

The central canal is filled with __.

cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)

Ventral is another term for __.

anterior

Dorsal is another term for __.

posterior

The dorsal rami innervate the intrinsic __ muscles.

back

The ventral rami innervate __ other skeletal muscles of the body.

most

The spinal cord has __ anterior spinal artery.

one

The spinal cord has __ posterior spinal arteries.

two

The largest reinforcing segmental artery is the artery of __.

Adamkiewicz

The artery of Adamkiewicz primarily supplies the lower __ of the spinal cord.

two-thirds