Anatomy of the Cervical Spine

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Anatomy of the Cervical Spine

• Physician Name
• Physician Institution
• Date

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Cervical Spine Anatomy

• Primary function
• Mobility, support, and protection of spinal canal
  and neural structures

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Cervical Spine Anatomy

• Vertebrae (7)
• Intervertebral discs (6)
• Pairs of exiting nerve roots (8)
• Cervical lordosis Occ-C7 averages 40
• Most of the lordosis occurs at the C1-C2 segment

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Cervical Spine Anatomy

• Approximately 50 of flexion-extension motion
  occurs at occiput-C1
• Approximately 50 of rotation occurs at C1-C2
• Lesser amounts of flexion-extension, rotation,
  and lateral bending occur segmentally between
  C2-C7

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Cervical Spine Anatomy
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Cervical Spine Anatomy

• Atypical vertebral
• structure C1 (atlas)
• Vertebral canal/foramen
• Anterior arch
• Anterior tubercle
• Transverse process
• Posterior arch
• Transverse foramen
• Lateral mass

Inferior
Superior
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Cervical Spine Anatomy

• Occiput-C1 segment
• The occiput-C1 joints are synovial joints
  comprising the convex occipital condyles, which
  articulate with the concave lateral masses of C1
  

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Cervical Spine Anatomy

• Occiput-C1 segment
• Motion at the occiput-C1 segment is restricted
  primarily to flexion-extension due to bony
  structures, ligamentous constraints, and the
  absence of an intervertebral disc

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Cervical Spine Anatomy

• Atypical cervical
• vertebra C2 (axis)
• Odontoid process or dens
• Vertebral canal/foramen
• Facet joints
• Transverse process
• Transverse foramen
• Bifid spinous process
• Lamina

anterior view
posterior view
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Cervical Spine Anatomy

• The odontoid process of the axis (C2) extends
  cranially to form the axis of rotation with atlas
  (C1)

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Cervical Spine Anatomy

• C1-C2 segment
• The primary motion at the C1-C2 joint is
  rotation

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Cervical Spine Anatomy

• C1-C2 segment
• The primary motion at the C1-C2 joint is rotation

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Cervical Spine Anatomy

• Ligaments
• The cervical spine also features a complex
  arrangement of ligaments to supplement its
  structure and mobility

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Cervical Spine Anatomy

• Ligaments
• Anterior longitudinal ligament
• Posterior longitudinal ligament
• Ligamentum flavum
• Intertransverse ligaments
• Interspinous ligaments
• Ligamentum nuchae

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Cervical Spine Anatomy

• Ligaments
• Anterior longitudinal ligament
• Posterior longitudinal ligament
• Ligamentum flavum
• Intertransverse ligaments
• Interspinous ligaments
• Ligamentum nuchae

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Cervical Spine Anatomy

• Ligaments
• Anterior longitudinal ligament
• Posterior longitudinal ligament
• Ligamentum flavum
• Intertransverse ligaments
• Interspinous ligaments
• Ligamentum nuchae

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Cervical Spine Anatomy

• Ligaments
• Anterior longitudinal ligament
• Posterior longitudinal ligament
• Ligamentum flavum
• Intertransverse ligaments
• Interspinous ligaments
• Ligamentum nuchae

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Cervical Spine Anatomy

• Ligaments
• Anterior longitudinal ligament
• Posterior longitudinal ligament
• Ligamentum flavum
• Intertransverse ligaments
• Interspinous ligaments
• Ligamentum nuchae

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Cervical Spine Anatomy

• Ligaments
• Anterior longitudinal ligament
• Posterior longitudinal ligament
• Ligamentum flavum
• Intertransverse ligaments
• Interspinous ligaments
• Ligamentum nuchae

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Cervical Spine Anatomy

• Neural elements
• 8 pair of cervical nerves
• Exit the spinal canal superior to the vertebrae
  for which they are numbered
• C1 nerves exit the canal between Occ C1
• C2 nerves exit the canal between C1 C2
• C8 nerves exit the canal between C7 T1

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Cervical Spine Anatomy

• Arteries
• Carotid arteries
• Located anterior and bilateral to the spine
• Vertebral arteries
• Enter the transverse foramen at C6 and continue
  through C1

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Cervical Spine Anatomy

• Veins
• Jugular veins
• Located bilateral and anterior to the spine.
• Vertebral veins
• Located within the transverse foramen of C1-C7

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Cervical Spine Anatomy
Neural and Circulatory Elements
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