CERVICAL VERTEBRAE

7

how many cervical vertebrae

Atlas, axis

Atypical cervical vertebrae

no body, no spinous process

C1 is atypical because it has:

Dens (odontoid process)

C2 is atypical because it has:

odontoid process

Dens is also called as

non-bifid spinous process

C7 is also considered as atypical because it has a long

small

size

one vertebral, two transverse

foramina

slender, bifid (C2-C6)

spinous process

small

size of the transverse processes

absent

articular facets for ribs

posterosuperior, anteroinferior

direction of articular facets

thick relative to the size of vertebral bodies

size of intervertebral discs

attach occipital condyles of the skull

C1-ATLAS: Superior articular facets

C2

C1-ATLAS: Inferior articular facets → attach to

dens of C2

C1-ATLAS: Anterior arch→ articulates with

neck muscles

C1-ATLAS: Transverse processes → attachment for

anterior arch of C1

C2-AXIS: Dens (odontoid process) → articulates with

C1

C2-AXIS: Superior articular facets → attach to

C3

C2-AXIS: Inferior articular facets → attach to

muscle attachment

C2-AXIS: Spinous process →

C2

C3: Superior articular facets → attach to

C4

C3: Inferior articular facets → attach to

intervertebral disc

C3: Vertebral body →

vertebral artery

C3: Transverse processes (foramina) → passage of

ligament (ligamentum nuchae) + muscle attachment

C3: Spinous process →

C3

C4: Superior facets → attach to

C5

C4 Inferior facets → attach to

C4

C5: Superior facets → attach to

C6

C5: Inferior facets → attach to

C5

C6: Superior facets → attach to

vertebral prominens

C7 is also called as a

C6

C7: Superior facets → attach to

T1

C7: Inferior facets → attach to