Vertebral Column Overview

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Vertebral Column Overview

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TERMINOLOGY

Abbreviations

• C1 (atlas), C2 (axis)
• Atlantooccipital (AO)
• Anterior, posterior longitudinal ligaments (ALL, PLL)

GROSS ANATOMY

Overview

• Normally 33 spinal vertebrae (varies from 32-35)

7 cervical (most constant); 12 thoracic; 5 lumbar

5 sacral elements fuse → sacrum

4-5 coccygeal elements → coccyx (most variable)
• Classic anatomic division into anterior (vertebral body), posterior elements (neural arch)
• “3 columns” concept (used by spine surgeons)

Anterior column

– Anterior 1/2 of vertebral body/disc/annulus

– ALL

Middle column

– Posterior 1/2 of vertebral body/disc/annulus

– PLL

Posterior column

– Posterior elements (pedicles, facet joints, laminae, spinous processes)

– Ligamentum flavum

– Interconnecting ligaments (interspinous, etc.)

Components

• Bones

Body : Cylindrical ventral bone mass

Arch : Composed of 2 pedicles, 2 laminae, 7 processes (1 spinous, 2 transverse, 4 articular)

– Pedicles: Extend from dorsolateral body to unite with pair of arched, flat laminae

– Laminae: Arch over canal, join at midline to dorsal projection (spinous process)

– Transverse processes: Arise from sides of arch

– Articular processes: Each has superior process (with facet directed dorsally), inferior process (facet directed ventrally), pars interarticularis (between facets)
• Intervertebral disc

Composed of inner nucleus pulposus, outer annulus fibrosus

Adhere to hyaline cartilage of vertebral endplates

Avascular (except in young children and peripheral annular fibers in adults)
• Ligaments

ALL

– Fibrous band along entire ventral surface of spine

– Skull to sacrum

PLL

– Dorsal surface of vertebral bodies

– Skull to sacrum

Craniocervical ligaments

Interspinous ligaments
• Nerves (31 pairs)

8 cervical, 12 thoracic

5 lumbar (exit above disc, below pedicle)

5 sacral, 1 coccygeal
• Meninges

Single (meningeal) layer of dura

Arachnoid (continuous with cranial arachnoid, loosely adherent to dura)

Pia (covers spinal cord, nerves)

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Tags: Imaging Anatomy Brain and Spine

Mar 13, 2021 | Posted by admin in NUCLEAR MEDICINE | Comments Off

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