Vertebral Column/Spinal Column (Vertebral Foramen)

Question 1

What name is given to the opening located within the vertebral body-vertebral arch enclosure?

Answer 1

The vertebral foramen

Question 2

What is the name given to the union of all vertebral foramina into an apparent vertical cylinder?

Answer 2

The vertebral canal or spinal canal

Question 3

What is the typical shape/outline of the vertebral foramen at each region of the spinal column/vertebral column?

Answer 3

Cervical- triangular; thoracic- oval; lumbar- triangular; sacrum- triangular

Question 4

What are the segmental arteries?

Answer 4

The arteries whose branches supply the vertebra or segment

Question 5

What are the segmental arteries of the cervical spine?

Answer 5

The vertebral artery, ascending cervical artery, and deep cervical artery

Question 6

What are the segmental arteries of the thoracic spine?

Answer 6

The deep cervical artery, superior (highest) intercostal artery, posterior intercostal artery and subcostal artery

Question 7

What are the segmental arteries of the lumbar spine?

Answer 7

The lumbar arteries, iliolumbar artery, lateral sacral artery and median (middle) sacral artery

Question 8

What are the segmental arteries of the fifth lumbar vertebra?

Answer 8

The iliolumbar artery, lateral sacral artery, and median (middle) sacral artery

Question 9

What are the segmental arteries of the sacrum?

Answer 9

Lateral sacral artery and median (middle) sacral artery

Question 10

Which branch of the dorsospinal artery will penetrate the meninges to enter subarachnoid space?

Answer 10

Spinal artery

Question 11

What are the branches of the spinal artery?

Answer 11

Osseous arteries, anterior spinal canal artery, posterior spinal canal artery, anterior medullary feeder artery, posterior medullary feeder artery, anterior radicular artery, posterior radicular artery

Question 12

What arteries are observed in the epidural space near the posterior longitudinal ligament?

Answer 12

Anterior spinal canal artery and plexus

Question 13

What arteries are observed in the epidural space near the ligamentum flavum?

Answer 13

Posterior spinal canal artery and plexus

Question 14

Which vessel will supply the ventral/anterior nerve rootlet and nerve root?

Answer 14

Anterior radicular artery

Question 15

Which vessel will supply the dorsal/posterior nerve rootlets, nerve root and nerve root ganglion?

Answer 15

Posterior radicular artery

Question 16

What is the name given to the artery which lies in front of the spinal cord along its length?

Answer 16

Anterior spinal artery

Question 17

The anterior spinal artery is a branch of which artery?

Answer 17

The vertebral artery

Question 18

Is the anterior spinal artery a single, continuous artery along the spinal cord?

Answer 18

No

Question 19

As the anterior spinal artery continues along the spinal cord, which arteries unite along its length to give the appearance of a single continuous vessel?

Answer 19

Anterior medullary feeder arteries

Question 20

The posterior spinal artery is a branch of which artery?

Answer 20

The posterior inferior cerebellar artery

Question 21

What is the position of the posterior spinal artery relative to the spinal cord?

Answer 21

It lies in the posterolateral sulcus along the spinal cord

Question 22

What forms the arterial vasa corona above C3?

Answer 22

Right and left anterior spinal arteries, right and left posterior spinal arteries,m and 4 communicating arteries

Question 23

What forms the arterial vasa corona below C6?

Answer 23

A median anterior spinal artery, right and left posterior spinal arteries, and 3 communicating arteries

Question 24

What are the intramedullary branches of the arterial vasa corona?

Answer 24

Pial perforating arteries, central/ventral/sulcal perforating arteries

Question 25

What arterial vasa corona branches supply gray matter and most of the spinal cord?

Answer 25

Ventral/central/sulcal perforating arteries

Question 26

What is the primary artery supplementing the arterial vasa corona?

Answer 26

Anterior medullary feeders and posterior medullary feeders

Question 27

What vessels drain the spinal cord?

Answer 27

Pial veins

Question 28

What will pial veins drain into?

Answer 28

Venous vasa corona

Question 29

Which vessels form the venous vasa corona?

Answer 29

Right and left anterior longitudinal veins, right and left posterior longitudinal veins, and 4 communicating veins

Question 30

Which vessel will drain the venous vasa corona?

Answer 30

Anterior medullary veins, posterior medullary veins

Question 31

What vessel will drain the dorsal/posterior nerve root ganglion?

Answer 31

Posterior radicular veins

Question 32

What veins will lie in the subarachnoid space?

Answer 32

Pial veins, venous vasa corona, anterior longitudinal veins, posterior longitudinal veins, communicating veins, anterior medullary veins, posterior medullary veins, anterior radicular veins, posterior radicular veins

Question 33

What veins are observed in the epidural space near the posterior longitudinal ligament?

Answer 33

Anterior internal vertebral venous plexus, basivertebral vein

Question 34

What veins are observed in the epidural space near the ligamentum flavum?

Answer 34

Posterior internal vertebral venous plexus

Question 35

What venous vessels are identified in the intervertebral foramen?

Answer 35

Intervertebral veins

Question 36

Identify the meninges of the spinal cord (spinal medulla or medulla spinalis) and the commonly accepted meaning of each.

Answer 36

Dura mater- tough mother Arachnoid mater- spider mother Pia mater- tender or delicate mother

Question 37

Name and locate each space formed between the osseous vertebral foramen and the spinal cord (spinal medulla or medulla spinalis).

Answer 37

Epidural space- between the vertebral foramen and the dura mater Subdural space- between the dura mater and the arachnoid mater Subarachnoid space- between the arachnoid mater and the pia mater

Question 38

What is the name given to the fluid within the epidural space?

Answer 38

Interstitial fluid

Question 39

Which of the contents of the epidural space will be found near the vertebral body?

Answer 39

- Anterior spinal canal artery and plexus - Anterior internal vertebral venous plexus - Basivertebral vein - Recurrent meningeal/sinu-vertebral, sinus vertebral nerve - Posterior longitudinal ligament - Hofmann/anterior dural/meningovertebral ligaments

Question 40

Which of the contents of the epidural space are more likely located near or around the posterior longitudinal ligament?

Answer 40

- Anterior spinal canal artery and plexus - Anterior internal vertebral venous plexus - Basivertebral vein - Recurrent meningeal/sinu-vertebral/sinus vertebral nerve - Hofmann/anterior dural/meningovertebral ligaments

Question 41

Which of the contents of the epidural space will be found near the lamina?

Answer 41

- Posterior spinal canal artery and plexus - Posterior internal vertebral venous plexus - Ligamnetum flavum

Question 42

What is the name given to the fluid present within the subdural space?

Answer 42

Serous fluid

Question 43

What is the name given to the fluid within the subarachnoid space?

Answer 43

Cerebrospinal fluid

Question 44

What contents of the subarachnoid space are changed below the level C6?

Answer 44

The arterial vasa corona consists of 12 anterior spinal artery, 2 posterior spinal arteries, and 3 communicating arteries

Question 45

What is the name given to the lateral extension of pia mater along the spinal cord?

Answer 45

Dentate (denticulate) ligament

Question 46

What is the unique feature of veins along the spinal canal?

Answer 46

They lack the bicuspid valve of typical veins