Anatomy: Trunk Skeleton, Muscles, Nervous System, and Thorax

Flashcards testing key vocabulary terms and anatomical definitions from the trunk, skeletal, muscular, nervous, and thoracic systems.

Superior

A directional term describing a position above or higher relative to another body part, such as the head relative to the thorax.

Posterior

A directional term describing a position toward the back of the body, such as the vertebral column relative to the sternum.

Proximal

A directional term describing a position closer to the point of attachment or trunk, such as the shoulder relative to the elbow.

Lateral

A directional term describing a position farther from the midline, such as the thumb relative to the little finger in anatomical position.

Sagittal plane

An anatomical plane that divides the body into left and right portions.

Coronal plane

An anatomical plane that divides the body into anterior (front) and posterior (back) portions.

Horizontal plane

An anatomical plane that divides the body into superior (upper) and inferior (lower) portions.

Vertebral body

The primary weight-bearing portion of a typical vertebra.

Pedicles

Bony projections extending posteriorly from the vertebral body that help form the vertebral arch.

Vertebral canal

The canal formed collectively by stacked vertebral foramina that houses the spinal cord.

Intervertebral foramen

An opening located between adjacent vertebrae through which a spinal nerve passes.

Lumbar region

The section of the vertebral column that contains the largest unfused vertebrae.

Atlas (C1)

The first cervical vertebra, characterized by the absence of both a body and a spinous process.

Axis (C2)

The second cervical vertebra, distinguished by the presence of the dens process.

Dens

A distinctive tooth-like projection on the axis (C2) whose primary function is to allow rotation of the head.

Scoliosis

A condition characterized by an exaggerated lateral curvature of the vertebral column.

Annulus fibrosus

The dense outer ring of fibrocartilage forming part of an intervertebral disk.

Nucleus pulposus

The inner gelatinous core of an intervertebral disk that ruptures through the annulus fibrosus during disk herniation.

Anterior longitudinal ligament

A strong ligament along the anterior surface of the vertebral bodies that helps prevent hyperextension of the vertebral column.

Ligamentum flavum

A ligament connecting the adjacent laminae of neighboring vertebrae.

Ligamentum nuchae

A ligament extending from the occipital bone to the spinous process of C7.

Floating ribs

Ribs 11 and 12, which do not attach anteriorly to the sternum.

Costal groove

A groove on the inferior border of a rib that contains the intercostal nerves and blood vessels.

Os Coxae

The hip bone, formed by the fusion of the ilium, ischium, and pubis.

Ischial tuberosity

A bony landmark on the ischium commonly referred to as the sit bone.

Pubic symphysis

The cartilaginous joint that connects the left and right pubic bones anteriorly.

Splenius muscle group

A muscle group in the back consisting of the splenius capitis and splenius cervicis.

Erector spinae group

A deep back muscle group arranged from lateral to medial as iliocostalis, longissimus, and spinalis.

Thoracolumbar fascia

A dense connective tissue sheath that encloses the erector spinae muscles.

Multifidus

A transversospinales muscle that inserts onto spinous processes 2 to 4 segments above its origin.

Semispinalis

A transversospinales muscle that typically inserts onto spinous processes 6 to 7 segments above its origin.

Aponeurosis

A tendon-like sheet of dense connective tissue that attaches a muscle to bone.

Pelvic diaphragm

A muscular sheet supporting the pelvic viscera formed by the levator ani and coccygeus muscles.

Conus medullaris

The cone-shaped inferior termination of the spinal cord.

Dura mater

The outermost, thickest meningeal covering of the spinal cord.

Pia mater

The innermost meningeal layer adhering directly to the surface of the spinal cord.

Dorsal root ganglion

A nodellar structure containing the cell bodies of general somatic afferent (GSA) sensory neurons.

Mediastinum

The thoracic space located between the left and right lungs, extending from the sternum to the vertebral column.

Pericardium

The membrane enclosing the heart, consisting of fibrous and serous components.

Superior vena cava

A large vein formed by the union of the brachiocephalic veins that returns deoxygenated blood from the upper body to the right atrium.

Left ventricle

The heart chamber with the thickest myocardium, responsible for pumping blood to the systemic circulation.

Coronary sulcus

The groove on the external surface of the heart marking the boundary between atria and ventricles.

Thoracic duct

The major lymphatic duct draining lymph from all regions of the body except the right head, neck, and right upper limb.

Pneumothorax

An abnormal condition defined by the presence of air within the pleural cavity.

Thoracocentesis

A clinical procedure used to remove excess fluid from the pleural cavity.

Phrenic nerve

The nerve responsible for motor innervation to the diaphragm.

Vagus nerve

Cranial nerve X, which provides parasympathetic innervation to thoracic organs, decreasing heart rate and constricting airways.