Cervical Spine Anatomy

Prepared by
Dr Habiba Aslam
 General Vertebral Anatomy
• Body
• Vertebral Arch
– Pedicles
– Laminae
• Vertebral Foramen
• Spinous Process
• Facets
– Superior Articulating Surface
– Inferior Articulating Surface
• Transverse Process
• Intervertebral Foramen
 Vertebral Structures

Vertebral
Body
Pedicle Vertebral
Foramen
Transverse
Process
Lamina
Superior
Spinous Articular
Process Process
 Vertebral Structures
Superior
Pars Articular
Process

Zygapophyseal
Inferior
Joint
(Facet Joint) Articular
Process
 Vertebral Structures

• Pedicle notches
Slight
Notch

• INTERVERTEBRAL FORAMEN Deep

through which the spinal nerve roots Notch
leave the spinal cord

Intervertebral
Foramen
• Anterior Arch
Vertebral Arches
Comprised of:
– Vertebral body
– Anterior 1/3 of the pedicles

• Posterior Arch
Comprised of:
– Posterior 2/3 of the pedicles
– Lamina
– Processes
 Distinguishing Features of Cervical
Vertebrae
• Transverse foramina
• C1 transverse process
• Spinous Processes
– C6 and C7
– C2-C6 = bifurcate
– None for C1
• Articulating Facets
 Clinical Anatomy
• Cervical Spine:
– Atlas:
• No vertebral body
• Transverse processes
•No true spinous process
•Superior Articular facet
•Inferior Articulating facet
•Facet for articulation of Dens
•Supports the weight of the skull
through 2 facet surfaces (atlanto-
occipital joint or C0-C1 articulation)
– Flexion and extension
(primary movement)
– Lateral flexion (slight)
 The Atlas (C1)
Anterior
Articular Facet
Tubercle
for Dens
Transverse
Process
Superior
Articular
Facet

Transverse Lateral
Foramen Mass
Posterior Lamina
Tubercle
Superior View
 Anterior tubercle
Atlas, C1, cervical vertebrae

Anterior arch
Transverse foramen

Inferior
articular facet

Vertebral foramen

Transverse process

steven lee Posterior tubercle Inferior view

M.S. Pathology
FTCC Posterior arch
 Anterior tubercle
Atlas, C1, cervical vertebrae

Anterior arch
Transverse foramen Superior
articular
process

facet

Vertebral foramen

Transverse process Groove for vertebral

artery and first
cervical nerve

steven lee Posterior tubercle

M.S. Pathology
FTCC Posterior arch
superior view
Axis

• C2
• Dens
– Rotation
between skull
and atlas
 Dens (odontoid process)
Axis, C2 cervical vertebrae

Superior
articular
facet

Vertebral foramen

Spinous
process

steven lee
M.S. Pathology
FTCC
steven lee
M.S. Pathology
FTCC
Dens
(odontoid process)
Axis, C2 cervical vertebrae
Groove for atlantal
ligament attachment
Vertebral foramen
Superior
articular
facet

Transverse
foramina
Spinous
process Superior arterior process
Axis, C2 cervical vertebrae dens

Transverse
foramen

Body
(centrum)

Transverse
process

Vertebral foramen
Inferior
articular
process

steven lee
M.S. Pathology Spinous
FTCC process
 Clinical Anatomy
• Cervical Spine:
– Axis:
• 2nd cervical vertebrae
• Small body with a
superior projection
(Dens)
 The Axis (C2)
Lateral
Body Odontoid Mass
Process
(Dens)

Superior
Articular
Facet

Inferior
Articular Spinous
Transverse
Facet Process
Process
Anterior View Posterior View
 Lower Cervical Vertebrae
• C3 to C7
– May be referred to as
the subaxial region
– Disc at every level
– Vertebral structures
are similar
 Lower Cervical Vertebrae
C3 - C7

Sulcus for Transverse

Body Process
Spinal Nerve
Transverse
Foramen
Pedicle

Superior
Lateral Articular Facet
Mass

Vertebral
Lamina Foramen

Axial View Bifid Spinous Process

 Lower Cervical Vertebrae
C3 - C7
The vertebral bodies of the subaxial cervical spine have upward projections on
the lateral margins called UNCINATE PROCESSES.
These processes articulate with the level above to form the UNCOVERTEBRAL
JOINT. These are also called JOINTS OF LUSCHKA.

Uncinate
Process

Uncovertebral Joint
Sulcus for
(Joint of Luschka) Spinal Nerve

Anterior View
 Lower Cervical Vertebrae
Seven vertebrae are the smallest, lightest
vertebrae
C3-C7 are distinguished with an oval body ,
short spinous process and large, triangular
vertebral foramina
Each transverse process contain a transverse
foramen
 Anterior tubercle of transverse process Transverse foramen

Transverse
body
process

Superior
articular
process Vertebral foramen

Posterior tubercle of
transverse process
Spinous
process

Cervical vertebrae
steven lee
biology1155
M.S. Pathology
Superior view
steven lee
FTCC
FTCC
 Anterior tubercle of transverse process

Posterior tubercle of
transverse process

Transverse Transverse body

process foramen

Inferior
articular Vertebral foramen
process facet

Spinous
process Cervical vertebrae
steven lee
M.S. Pathology
Inferior view
FTCC
 Articular pillar
Transverse foramen a

Transverse
process Spinous
process

Sulcus for nerve

Cervical vertebrae
steven lee
M.S. Pathology
lateral view
FTCC
C7

• Body
• Spinous process
• Transverse Foramina
– Anterior element
 Vertebra Prominens (C7)

C7 is referred to as the VERTEBRA

PROMINENS because it has a longer
and larger spinous process than the
other cervical vertebrae.
This spinous process is not usually bifid.

Spinous
Process

Axial View
Articulations within cervical spine

• Cervical facet joints

– Parallel to frontal plane
– 45 degrees to
transverse plane
– Rotation
 Curvature of cervical spine

• Lordotic Curve
• Anterior convex
• Posterior concave
 Cervical spine movement

• Flexion/Extension
– Atlanto-occipital
• Rotation
– Atlanto-axial joint