Introduction, Vertebral Column
Anzor Gogiberidze
Anatomical Position
• Upright Position
• Arms to the side
• Supinated Palms
• Feet together
• Eyes facing forward
Anatomical Planes
Sagittal
• From front to back
• Divides body into right and left
portions
Coronal (Frontal)
• from side to side
• Divides body into anterior and
posterior portions
Horizontal (transverse)
• Divides body into superior and
inferior portions
• Longitudinal– craniocaudal
direction
• Sagittal – anteroposterior
direction
• Transverse – from side to side
Which plane?
General Terms
Anterior – located toward
the front (Ventral)
Posterior – located toward
the back (Dorsal)
Superior – upper/above
Inferior – lower/below
General Terms
Cranial – toward the head
Caudal – toward the tail
Medial – toward the
median plane
Lateral – away from the
median plane
Median – situated in the
median plane (midline)
General Terms
• Horizontal – parallel to the horizons’s plane
• Vertical – perpendicular to the horizon’s plane
• Peripheral – situated away from the center
• Superficial – situated near the surface
• Deep – situated near the bottom
• External – outer (lateral)
• Internal – inner (medial)
• Apical – situated near the apex
• Basal – situated near the bottom
• Sagital – parallel to the sagital suture
• Coronal – parallel to the coronal suture
General Terms
• Proximal – toward the trunk/point of origin
• Distal –away from the trunk/point of origin
• Longitudinal – parallel to the long axis
• Transverse – situated at right angles to the long axis
• Radial – located toward the radius (lateral side)
• Ulnar – located toward the ulna (medial side)
• Tibial – located toward the tibia (medial side)
• Fibular – located toward the fibula (lateral side)
• Palmar – toward the palm (volar)
• Plantar – toward the sole
• Dorsal – toward the back of the hand/top of the foot
Skeletal System
• Axial skeleton – skull, vertebral column, thorax skeleton
• Appendicular skeleton – upper and lower limbs
Vertebral column
Cervical Vertebrae
Thoracic Vertebrae
Lumbar Vertebrae
Sacral Vertebrae
Coccygeal vertebrae
❖Vertebrae increase in size from the cervical to the lumbar region
❖Vertebrae decrease in size from the sacral to the coccygeal region
Normal spine curves
Cervical Lordosis
• III month (babies hold their head)
• C1-T2 (apex С5-6)
Thoracic Kyphosis
• primary curve
• VI month (baby begins to sit)
Lumbar Lordosis
• 8-12 months (baby begins to walk)
• T11-L5 (apex L3-4)
Sacral Kyphosis
• primary curve
Abnormal spine curves
Kyphosis (“hunchback”)
• Old woman
• congenital
• posture related
Lordosis (“swayback”)
• Pregnancy
• Obesity
Scoliosis
• Congenital
• Neuromuscular
Vertebral Canal
Spinal Cord
Meninges
Nerve roots
Intervertebral foramen – passage of spinal nerves
Spina Bifida
✔Incomplete fusion of arches
✔Neural tube defect
Typical (Thoracic) vertebra
Body (corpus)
Arches (pedicle and lamina)
Processes
• Spinous
• Transverse
Costal facets on the body: • Superior Articular
T1-T9 - 2 costal facets (superior and inferior) • Inferior articular
T10 - 1 costal facet (superior)
Notches (incisurae)
T11-T12 - 1 costal facet (middle)
• superior and inferior
Foramen
Costal facet is also on the transverse process!
Thoracic vertebrae
Long spinous processes
directed inferiorly
Vertebral bodies
heart-shaped
Articular facets
into the coronal plane
Costal facets
for ribs
Atlas (C1)
❖ Atypical cervical vertebra
❖ No body
❖ No spinous process
❖ Anterior arch
anterior tubercle
dental fossa
❖ Posterior arch
posterior tubercle
❖ Lateral masses
superior articular surface
Inferior articular surface
Each cervical vertebra has 2 transverse foramina for the vertebral artery!
Jefferson’s fracture
✔Fracture of atlantic arches
✔Mechanism is hyperextension
C2 & C7
❑ Atypical cervical vertebrae
❑ C2 has Dens (base, apex,
anterior and posterior surfaces)
❑ C7 is vertebra prominens
(longest spinous process)
“Hangman’s fracture”
❑Hang (suicidal action)
❑Hyperextension
Dens fractures
❑Transverse ligament translocation
❑Avascular necrosis
C3-C6 vertebrae
❖ Typical cervical vertebrae
❖ Small body
❖ Large foramen
❖ Bifid spinous process
❖ Transverse foramina
❖ Carotid tubercle (C6)
Vertebral artery
❖ C1-C6 transverse foramina
❖ Groove on the posterior arch (С1)
❖ Foramen magnum
Lumbar vertebrae
Large vertebral body
Short spinous processes
Accessory process
• On the transverse process
Mamillary process
• On the superior articular process
Sacral Bone
Base and apex
Surfaces (dorsal, pelvic)
Transverse lines
• Intervertebral discs
Lateral Parts
• fused pedicles
• auricular surface
Promontory (S1)
Sacral Crests
• Lateral – Transverse processes
• Intermediate – articular processes
• Median – spinous processes
Sacral bone (dorsal surface)
Sacral canal
Sacral hiatus
Sacral foramina
Sacral crests
Sacral cornua
Sacral Bone (pelvic surface)
Promontory
Sacral foramina
Transverse
lines
Sacralisation and Lumbarisation
Coccyx
Base
Apex
Horns (cornua)
Posterior Landmarks
Posterior Landmarks
• C7 - The vertebra prominens
• T3 - Level of the medial edge of spines of the
scapulae
• T7 - Level of the inferior angles of the scapulae
• T12 - Level of the lower limit of the thoracic
cavity
• L4 - Level of the iliac crests
• S2 - Level of the posterior superior iliac spine
Thank you for attention!
