Radiographic Anatomy of the
Skeleton
Cervical Spine.
Thoracic Spine.
Lumbar Spine.
Sacrum Spine.
Coccyx Spine.
The vertebral column curves
There are 4 normal curves formed by vertebras, two are concave and the other two are
convex. The cervical & lumbar curves are an anteriorly convex, The thoracic and sacral
curves are anteriorly concave.
The presences of the curve have several functions; these are absorption of shock,
maintenance of balance, protection of column from fracture and increasing the strength of the
column.
Between adjacent vertebrae from 1st Cervical to sacrum there are inter vertebral discs. They
are fibro-cartilaginous. Each disc is composed of the
ring consisting
called
and
, pulpy highly
structure called
the
. The disc permits various movement of the vertebral column, absorb
shock and form a strong joint.
There are 31 pairs of spinal nerves
which branch off from the spinal cord.
In the cervical region of the spinal cord,
the spinal nerves exit above the
vertebrae. A change occurs with the C7
vertebra however, where the C8 spinal
nerve exits the vertebra below the C7
vertebra. Therefore, there is an 8th
cervical spinal nerve even though there
is no 8th cervical vertebra. From the 1st
thoracic vertebra downwards, all spinal
nerves exit below their equivalent
numbered vertebrae.
The Cauda Equina area is not the true
spinal cord. The true spinal cord ends at
L1/2. The area below the true spinal
cord is called the Conus Medullaris.
Immediately below that is the Cauda
Equina area.
AP
Lateral
Cervical Spine -- Right
Anterior Oblique View
Cervical Spine -- Left
Anterior Oblique View
Cervical Spine -- Open Mouth (Dens) View
Cervical spine, AP
projection
Cervical spine, lateral
1. Anterior arch of atlas
projection
2. Axis
3. Body of vertebra
4. Dens of axis
5. Facet joint
6. Transverse foramen
7. Inferior articular
process
8. Intervertebral disc
9. Intervertebral
foramen
10. Lamina of vertebral
arch
11. Lateral atlantoaxial
joint
12. Lateral mass of atlas
13. Pedicle
14. Posterior arch of
atlas
15. Spinous process
16. Superior articular process
17. Transverse process
18. Uncovertebral joint (joint of Luschka)
Cervical spine, AP
projection (open mouth)
1. Anterior arch of atlas
2. Axis
3. Body of vertebra
4. Dens of axis
5. Facet joint
6. Transverse foramen
7. Inferior articular process
8. Intervertebral disc
9. Intervertebral foramen
10. Lamina of vertebral arch
11. Lateral atlantoaxial joint
Cervical spine, oblique
projection
12. Lateral mass of atlas
13. Pedicle
14. Posterior arch of atlas
15. Spinous process
16. Superior articular process
17. Transverse process
18. Uncovertebral joint (joint of
Luschka)
Thoracic spine, AP projection
1. Body of vertebra
2. Costotransverse joint
3. Costovertebral joint
4. Facet joint
5. Inferior articular process
6. Intervertebral disc
7. Intervertebral foramen
8. Pedicle
9. Rib
10. Spinous process
11. Superior articular process
12. Transverse process
Thoracic spine, lateral projection
1. Body of vertebra
2. Costotransverse joint
3. Costovertebral joint
4. Facet joint
5. Inferior articular process
6. Intervertebral disc
7. Intervertebral foramen
8. Pedicle
9. Rib
10. Spinous process
11. Superior articular process
12. Transverse process
AP
Lateral
Lumbar spine, lateral projection
Lumbar spine, AP projection
1. Body of vertebra
2. Facet joint
3. Inferior articular
process
4. Intervertebral disc
5. Intervertebral
foramen
6. Lamina of vertebral
arch
7. Pedicle
8. Sacroiliac joint
9. Spinous process
10. Superior articular
process
11. Transverse process
Lumbar spine, oblique projection
Sacrum, AP projection
Sacrum, lateral projection
1. Coccyx
2. Intervertebral disc
3. Intervertebral foramen
4. Sacroiliac joint
5. Spinous process