2
Notes
the information inthis file is based on the things
that was given during practical sessions along with
doctors’ notes
To ensure your grade on each question :
1-Make sure your SPELLING is correct
2-Make sure you write the FULL name or location of
the object precisely
3.
3
Body “centrum”
Anterior
Spinous process
"Posterior “
Transverse process
" Lateral ”
Articular process
Superior
“also there is inferior“ Vertebral
foramen
Lamina
Pedicle
Articular facet
Superior
“Also there is inferior”
Typical vertebrae
Articular
process and
transverse
process
contain a
facet
4.
Atlas C1
Ring shapedvertebrae
Atypical Cervical
Vertebrae
Circular or oval
facet (inferior
surface)
Posterior arch
“long”
Anterior arch
“short”
Special features: Common
features:
Joint:
●No body Superior
●No spinous process Articular
●Transverse foramen ●vertebral surface
●Kidney shaped foramen receives the
articular facet ●Transverse occipital
(superior surface) process condyle of the
●Circular or oval skull to form
shaped facet (inferior the
surface) Atlanto-occipit
●Two lateral masses. al joint (nod
yes)
vertebral foramen
large
Transverse
foramen
Transverse
process
Kidney shaped facet
(superior surface)
5.
Axis C2
Atypical Cervical
Vertebrae
Special
features:
Common
features:
Joint:
●Odontoid
processor dens
"it’s the body of axis”
●Transverse
foramen
●Superior &
inferior articular
facet
●Vertebral
foramen
●Spinous
process
●Transve
rse
process.
The inferior
articular facets of
the Atlas (C1)
articulate with the
superior articular
facets of the Axis
(C2) to form
atlanto-axial joint.
Odontoid
process or
dens
Superior articular
facet
Spinous process
Vertebral
foramen
It has all the features of typical cervical except the
body replaced by odontoid process
6.
Prominens C7
Atypical Cervical
Vertebrae
Specialfeatures: Common features:
●Spinous process
(Long,Not bifid,
not downward)
●Veins and nerves
pass through
transverse foramen
●Superior & Inferior
articular facet
●Vertebral foramen
(triangular,large)
● Transverse
process
Spinous process
Long - not bifid
Vertebral
foramen
Superior articular
facet
Transverse foramen
Transverse process
7.
C3 - C6
TypicalCervical
Vertebrae
Special features: Common features:
● Vessels passes ●Transverse process
through transverse ●Vertebral foramen
foramen
●Small body
●spinous processes
is bifid,short and
fork like
Transverse foramen
Spinous process
Bifid- short-
fork like
Vertebral
foramen
triangular
Superior articular
facet
Transverse process
Body
Small
8.
Thoracic vertebrae
spinous
process
Superior articular
process
Lamina
Transverse
process
Pedicle
Vertebral
foramen
Vertebral
body
Superior
articularsurface
Special
features
common
features
Inferior articular
surface
thoracic vertebrae
(T1 To T11)
The last thoracic
vertebrae T12
- The inferior articular
surfaces are facing
anteriorly towards the
inferior part of the spinous
process
-The inferior articular surfaces
are facing laterally to articulate
with the L1.
Comparison between the inferior articular surfaces
of the last thoracic vertebrae T12 and the other
thoracic vertebrae (T1 to T11):
-The body is medium sized, somewhat heart-shaped and has two
costal Vertebrae demifacets on each sides (superior,Inferior) which
receive the heads of the ribs.
- also the transverse processes have facets that articulate with the
tubercles of the ribs.
- spinous process (long hooks sharply downward)
Vertebral foramen (circular), pedicle, lamina.
9.
Typical & atypicallumbar
spinous
p rocess
Superior
articular
process
L
a
m
i
n
a
Vertebral
body
Vertebral
foramen
Pedicle
Transverse
process
Superior
articular surface
Superior view
Remember that:
The body is anterior
The spinous process is posterior
Inferior view
Inferior articular
surface
Kidney shaped body
Typical lumbar
L1,L2,L3,L4
Atypical lumbar
L5
- The inferior articular
surfaces are facing
laterally towards the
transverse processes.
-The inferior articular surfaces are
facing anteriorly to articulate with
the sacrum.
- Spinous process is short
(shorter than the typical)
- Massive block like body (kidney shaped)
- spinous process (Short hatchet shaped)
- In all lumbar vertebrae the superior articular surfaces are facing
medially towards the spinous process.
Vertebral foramen (triangular), pedicle, transverse process, lamina.
Special
features
common
features
Comparison between the inferior articular surfaces of the
typical and atypical lumbar vertebrae:
10.
Sacrum & coccyxSacrum
Features
Apex
Ala
Sacral
promontory
Ala
- The sacrum is formed by fusion of 5
vertebrae.
-The superior articular surfaces are facing
posteriorly to articulate with L5.
- The sacrum articulate inferiorly with the
coccyx forming the sacrococcygeal joint.
-The wing like ala articulate laterally with
the hip bones, forming the sacroiliac joints.
- The sacrum has two surfaces:
1- Anterior -pelvic- surface
(Concave,smooth).
2- Posterior -dorsal- surface (Convex).
- The sacral canal opens inferiorly where it
is called sacral hiatus.
- Median crest
- Medial crest
- Lateral crest
fused spinous process.
fused articular process.
fused transverse process.
Coccyx
Features
The coccyx is formed
from the fusion of 4
tiny, irregularly
shaped vertebrae.
11.
Ligaments of thespine
Interspinous
ligament
Supraspinous
ligament
Posterior
longitudinal
ligament
Intertransverse
ligament Anterior
longitudinal
ligament
● The anterior and posterior longitudinal ligaments run as continuous
bands along the anterior & posterior surfaces of the vertebral
bodies.
● Supraspinous ligament (connects two spine tips).
● Interspinous ligament (connects two spines).
● ligamentum flavum (connects two laminae).
● Intertransverse ligament (connects two transverse processes).
● Ligamentum Nuchae: in the cervical region, the Supraspinous and
Interspinous ligaments are thickened to form the strong ligamentum
nuchae.
● It extends from the external occipital protuberance of the skull to the
spine of the seventh cervical vertebra.
12.
12
SUMMARY
-When you seethe transverse foramen in a vertebra, that would
mean it is from the Cervical vertebrae. Then check if :
- There is no body then it is "Atlas C1"
- There is an odontoid process it is "Axis C2".
-There is a long non-bifid spinous process it is "Prominens C7",
otherwise it is typical (C3-C6).
* vessels and nerves pass through the transverse foramen of
cervical vertebrae except at C7 where only veins and nerves
pass*.
-When you see a long downward pointing non-bifid spinous with no
transverse foramen, it is "thoracic".
-If the body big and the spinous process is short hatchet-shaped, it
is "lumbar".
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