Gross Anatomy Back

Front 1

what drains the body of vertebrae?

Back 1

basivertebral veins

Front 2

what are the purposes of the neural arch of vertebrae?

Back 2

protection of spinal cord
attachment of muscles
articulation with ribs
regulation of movement

Front 3

why are the spinous processes of thoracic vertebrae downturned?

Back 3

to overlap the one inferior to it, so that the spinal cord is better protected

Front 4

which vertebrae have bifid spinous processes?

Back 4

cervical vertebrae

Front 5

what is peculiar to the transverse processes of the cervical vertebrae?

Back 5

anterior tubercles
posterior tubercles
transverse foramina

Front 6

which vertebra is the vertebra prominens?

Back 6

C7 (though it is less prominent than T1)

Front 7

which vertebra is atlas?

Back 7

C1

Front 8

which vertebra is axis?

Back 8

C2

Front 9

what holds the dens of C2 in place in the ring of the atlas?

Back 9

transverse ligament of the dens

Front 10

what is the yes joint?

Back 10

articulation of the upper articular facets of C1 (which are concave) with the occipital condyles

Front 11

what is the no joint?

Back 11

articulation of lower articulate facets of C2 (which are flat) with the upper articular facets of C3

Front 12

what is hangman's fracture?

Back 12

fracture at the posterior aspect of C2 pedicles

Front 13

what is a type II dens fracture?

Back 13

fracture through the base of the dens (odontoid process)

Front 14

where should lumbar puncture be performed?

Back 14

between L4 and L5

Front 15

what is spondylolisthesis?

Back 15

forward displacement of the body of a vertebra on the one below it

Front 16

what makes up the sacrum?

Back 16

five vertebrae fused into one

Front 17

what are the anterior and posterior sacral foramina?

Back 17

modifications of the intervertebral foramina of the sacrum, which transmit anterior and posterior primary rami of sacral nerves

Front 18

where can anesthetic be introduced into the vertebral canal?

Back 18

lower opening of the sacral canal

Front 19

what is the symphysis between vertebral bodies?

Back 19

intervertebral discs, formed by a layer of hyaline cartilage surrounded by a fibrocartilage ring

Front 20

what is a herniated disc?

Back 20

a tear in the outer, fibrous ring (annulus fibrosus) of an intervertebral disc allows the soft, central portion (nucleus pulposus) to bulge out

Front 21

what is a Schmorls's node?

Back 21

upward herniation of the nucleus pulposus, eroding body of adjacent vertebra

Front 22

what is the pattern of ligaments in the vertebrae?

Back 22

paired components are joined by one ligament

unpaired components are joined by 2 ligaments

Front 23

what ligaments join the spine of vertebrae?

Back 23

supraspinous ligament
interspinous ligament

Front 24

what ligaments join the body of vertebrae?

Back 24

anterior longitudinal ligament
posterior longitudinal ligament

Front 25

what joins the articular processes?

Back 25

capsular ligament (synovial joint)

(articular processes are paired)

Front 26

what ligaments join transverse processes?

Back 26

intertransverse ligaments

Front 27

what ligaments join the laminae of vertebrae?

Back 27

ligamenta flava

Front 28

what ligaments join pedicles of vertebrae?

Back 28

no ligaments join pedicles because of intervertebral foramina and emergence of spinal nerves

Front 29

what are the three flexures of the spine?

Back 29

cervical flexure (to support head)
thoracic flexure (original fetal curve)
lumbar flexure (support of trunk for standing and walking)

Front 30

how do the articular facets of vertebrae affect the rotation?

Back 30

in thoracic region, superior articular facets face posterolaterally, so rotation is free

in lumbar region, superior articular facets face almost medially, so rotation is nearly non-existent

Front 31

at what spinal level does the scapula lie?

Back 31

T2-T7

Front 32

at what spinal level is the supracristal plane?

Back 32

L4

(between 2 highest points of iliac crests)

Front 33

at what spinal level are the posterior superior iliac spines?

Back 33

S2

Front 34

in an adult, where does the spinal cord end?
the subarachnoid space?

Back 34

L1

S2

Front 35

what structures must be pierced in a lumbar puncture (space between L4 and L5))

Back 35

supraspinous ligament
interspinous ligament
ligamentum flavum
dura mater
arachnoid mater

(want to be in subarachnoid space)

Front 36

what muscles make up the intermediate group of back muscles?

Back 36

serratus posterior superior
serratus posterior inferior

Front 37

what is the function of serratus posterior superior and inferior?

Back 37

elongate thoracic cavity for respiration

(inspiration)

Front 38

what innervates the serratus posterior superior and inferior?

Back 38

ventral rami of intercostal nerves

Front 39

which layer makes up the intrinsic muscles of the back?

Back 39

deep group

Front 40

what are the attachments of splenius capitis?

Back 40

inferior 1/2 of ligamentum nuchae and spines of T1-T5

superior nuchal line
mastoid process

Front 41

what are the attachments of splenius cervicis?

Back 41

spinous processes of T3-T6

transverse processes of C1-C4

Front 42

what is the lumbar portion of the thoracolumbar fascia?

Back 42

doral aponeurosis of transversus abdominis

Front 43

to what does the thoracolumbar fascia attach?

Back 43

superficial layer - lumbar spines

deep layer - tips of lumbar transverse processes

Front 44

where is the thoracic portion of the thoracolumbar fascia?

Back 44

from vertebral spines to angle of ribs, over deep dorsal muscles

Front 45

what are the divisions of the erector spinae?

Back 45

iliocostalis
longissimus
spinalis

split near rib 12

Front 46

what is another name for erector spinae?

Back 46

sacrospinalis

Front 47

what are the attachments of the erector spinae muscles?

Back 47

all - from pelvis

iliocostalis - angles of ribs and C4-C6 transverse processes
longissimus - insert into vertebral transverse processes
spinalis - only in thoracic regions between spinous processes

Front 48

what are the transversospinalis group of muscles?

Back 48

oblique muscles of the back

deep to erector spinae

semispinalis
multifidus
rotatores

Front 49

where does the semispinalis capitis attach?

Back 49

from transverse processes of T1-5 and articular processes of C4-7

to occipital bone

Front 50

what innervates the semispinalis capitis?

Back 50

dorsal primary rami of all cervical nerves

Front 51

what are the attachments of the multifidus muscle?

Back 51

from dorsal sacrum between spinous and transverse crests, from all transverse processes (up to C4) and from adjacent ligaments and fascia of erector spinae

to inferior border of C2-L5 spinous processes

Front 52

what are the attachments of rotatores?

Back 52

from transverse processes

to spinous process or lamina superior

Front 53

in which regions are interspinales and intertransversarii muscles present?

Back 53

cervical region
lumbar region

NOT THORACIC REGION

Front 54

what are the attachments of the interspinales?

Back 54

cervical - unite bifid tubercles of adjacent spinous processes

lumbar - unite adjacent border of spines

Front 55

what are the attachments of the intertransversarri (anterior and posterior)?

Back 55

unite adjacent anterior tubercles and posterior tubercles of cervical transverse processes

Front 56

at what level is the end of the spinal cord at birth?

Back 56

L3

Front 57

of what is the cauda equina composed?

Back 57

anterior and posterior nerve roots

Front 58

what is the conus medullaris?

Back 58

true end of the spinal cord

Front 59

what is the filum terminale?

Back 59

attachment of conus medullaris to coccyx which is responsible for the vertical stability of the spinal cord

Front 60

from what are denticulate ligaments formed?

Back 60

reflections of pia mater

Front 61

for what are denticulate ligaments responsible?

Back 61

lateral stability of the spinal cord

Front 62

what is the extradural continuation of the filum terminale?

Back 62

coccygeal ligament

Front 63

what is innervated by the dorsal rami of spinal nerves?

Back 63

skin of back, medial to angles of ribs
deep muscles of back
articular facets of vertebrae

Front 64

what is the cutaneous branch of the dorsal primary ramus of C2?

Back 64

greater occipital nerve

(to scalp)

Front 65

to where does the cutaneous branch of the dorsal primary ramus of T2 go?

Back 65

acromion

Front 66

to where does the cutaneous branch from the dorsal primary rami of L1, L2, and L3 go?

Back 66

gluteal region

Front 67

which dorsal rami don't divide into medial and lateral branches?

Back 67

C1, S4, S5

Front 68

which dorsal rami don't have branches which end as cutaneous branch?

Back 68

C1, C6, C7, C8, L4, L5

Front 69

with what does the dense plexus of thin-walled valveless veins surrounding the spinal dura mater communicate?

Back 69

superiorly with occipital and basilar sinuses of cranium

Front 70

what are the divisions of the vertebral venous plexus?

Back 70

anterior longitudinal channel
posterior longitudinal channel

Front 71

what veins are received by the vertebral venous plexus at each segment of the spinal cord?

Back 71

vein from the spinal cord

basivertebral vein

Front 72

what drains the vertebral venous plexus?

Back 72

intervertebral veins passing through the intervertebral foramina to the vertebral, intercostal, lumbar and lateral sacral veins

Front 73

what forms the anterior vertebral venous plexus?

Back 73

veins from the body of the vertebrae

Front 74

what forms the posterior vertebral venous plexus?

Back 74

veins passing through ligamenta flava

Front 75

what are the borders of the suboccipital triangle?

Back 75

rectus capitis posterior major (superomedially)
obliquus capitis superior (superolaterally)
obliquus capitis inferior (inferiorly)

Front 76

what two nerves emerge through semispinalis capitis?

Back 76

greater occipital nerve (dorsal primary ramus of C2)

third occipital nerve (dorsal primary ramus of C3)

Front 77

what artery emerges from under the splenius capitis?

Back 77

occipital artery

Front 78

what are the attachments of RCP major?

Back 78

from spine of axis
to below nuchal line

lateral to RCP minor

Front 79

what are the attachments of RCP minor?

Back 79

from posterior tubercle of atlas
to below inferior nuchal line

medial to RCP major

Front 80

what are the attachments of the obliquus superior muscle?

Back 80

from transverse process of atlas
to area between nuchal lines lateral to semispinalis

Front 81

what are the attachments of the obliquus inferior muscle?

Back 81

from spine of axis
to transverse process of atlas

Front 82

what can happen if the vertebral artery is affected by atheroma (atherosclerosis)?

Back 82

movements of the head and neck may affect movement of blood through it and cause faintness or unconsciousness

Front 83

what innervates the muscles of the suboccipital triangle?

Back 83

suboccipital nerve
(from dorsal primary ramus of C1)

Front 84

with what does the ventral primary ramus of C1 join?

Back 84

hypoglossal nerve (CN XII)