Osteology & Articulations of the Spine - Flashcards

A set of fill-in-the-blank flashcards covering major concepts, structures, and functions discussed in the Osteology & Articulations of the Spine lecture.

There are a total of __ vertebrae in the human spine.

33

Most vertebrae consist of a vertebral _ and __ .

body, arch

There are _ cervical, _ thoracic, _ lumbar, _ saccral, and _ coccygeal vertebrae.

7, 12, 5, 5, 4

The __ of a vertebra attaches the arch to the body.

pedicle

The flat part of the vertebral arch is called the __.

lamina

The lateral projections of a vertebra are the __ processes.

transverse

The posterior-pointing projection felt through the skin is the __ process.

spinous

The weight-bearing portion of a vertebra is the __.

vertebral body (centrum)

The opening for the spinal cord is the __ .

vertebral foramen

Cervical vertebrae possess a __ for the vertebral artery.

transverse foramen

The vertebral artery passes through __, and the vertebral vein passes through __ of the transverse foramen.

C1-C6, C1-C7

Most cervical spinous processes are __ shaped.

bifid

The atlas (C1) lacks a __.

vertebral body

The atlas articulates with the skull at the __ facets.

superior articular

The pivotal odontoid process on C2 is also called the __.

dens

Rotation of the head (“no” movement) occurs primarily at the __ joint.

atlanto-axial

Flexion and extension of the head (“yes” movement) occur at the __ joint.

atlanto-occipital

C7 is nicknamed __ because of its long spinous process.

vertebra prominens

Thoracic vertebrae articulate with ribs via __ facets.

costal

Thoracic articular facets are oriented mainly in the __ plane.

coronal

The atypical thoracic vertebrae are _, _, _, & _

T1, T10-T12

T1 is atypical because it contains _ on the vertebral body

its own full costal facet & inferior demi-facet

T10 is atypical because it has no

inferior demi-facet (only superior)

T11 & T12 are atypical because they contain their own _ and _

Full costal facet, no costal facet on the transverse process

Lumbar vertebrae have large bodies and articular facets oriented in the __ plane.

sagittal

Short, stumpy spinous processes are characteristic of the __ region.

lumbar

The five fused vertebrae forming the posterior pelvis are collectively called the __.

sacrum

Ventral rami exit the sacrum through the __ sacral foramina.

ventral (anterior)

The __ sacral crest is formed by fused spinous processes. The __ sacral crest is formed by fused transverse processes.

median, lateral

The spinal curvature that is anteriorly convex in the neck is called cervical __.

lordosis

Spinal lordosis occurs in the _ & _ regions.

Cervical, lumbar

A posteriorly convex primary curvature in the thoracic region is a __.

kyphosis

Spinal kyphosis occurs in the _ & _ regions

Thoracic, sacral & coccygeal

Any lateral curvature of the vertebral column is termed __.

scoliosis

Intervertebral discs consist of an outer __ fibrosus and an inner _.

annulus, nucleus pulposus

Intervertebral discs are classified structurally as __ joints.

symphyses

Uncovertebral (Luschka) joints occur on the _ edges between _ vertebral __.

Lateral, cervical, bodies

All paravertebral ligaments prevent excessive _ except the __ ligament.

spinal flexion, anterior longitudinal

The _ ligament prevents hyperextension of the spine.

Anterior longitudinal

The ligament rich in elastic fibers that connects laminae is the __.

ligamentum flavum

The supraspinous and interspinous ligaments in the neck become the __ ligament.

nuchal

The nuchal ligament attaches to the _, _, and _ (of cervical vertebrae).

External occipital protuberance, medial nuchal line, spinous processes

Facet (zygapophyseal) joints are __ joints capped with hyaline cartilage.

synovial

Cervical facet is oriented _ in the _.

Oblique, coronal

Cervical facet orientation favors , , and __ .

flexion, extension, side-bending

Thoracic facet is oriented _ in the _.

vertical, coronal

Thoracic facet orientation primarily allows __ .

lateral flexion

Lumbar facet is oriented _ in the _.

Vertical, sagittal

Lumbar facet orientation favors _.

flexion, extension

The _ of the atlas holds the dens against the anterior arch of C1.

transverse ligament

The _ becomes the anterior antlanto-axial & atlanto-occipital membranes

anterior longitudinal ligament

The _ becomes the posterior antlanto-axial & atlanto-occipital membrane

ligamentum flavum

Posterior longitudinal ligament becomes the __ membrane at C2 to skull.

tectorial

Spinal nerves C1–C7 exit __ their correspondingly numbered vertebrae.

above

The _ ligament connects C1 & C2.

Cruciate

The _ ligaments connect the sides of the dens to occipital condyles & prevent _

Alar, excessive rotation

The _ connects the dens to the foramen magnum.

Apical ligament of the dens

Spinal nerve C8 exits __ the C7 vertebra.

below

Radicular arteries branch from posterior intercostal arteries to supply spinal __.

nerves and cord

_ arteries supply ventral root, anterior medullary artery, and anterior spinal artery.

Anterior radicular

_ arteries supply dorsal roots.

Posterior radicular

_ artery originate from vertebral artery.

Posterior spinal

The vertebral venous plexus is __, allowing bidirectional flow.

valveless

Valve-less vertebral veins facilitate the __ of metastatic cancer.

spread (metastasis)

Between each pair of vertebrae there are three joints: two _ facet joints and one __ .

zygapophyseal, intervertebral disc

Costotransverse ligaments anchor the _ of a rib to the __ .

Neck, transverse process

Radiate ligaments attach the _ of a rib to the __ of the vertebra.

head, body

_ ligaments attach the head of the rib to the vertebral body.

Radiate

_ ligaments attach the neck of the rib to the transverse process.

Costotransverse

The wedge-shaped bone formed by four fused rudimentary vertebrae is the __.

coccyx

The gelatinous core of an intervertebral disc is the __ pulposus.

nucleus

A postero-lateral disc herniation in the lumbar region usually compresses the spinal nerve that exits at the __ level.

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