Intervertebral foramina

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Bone: Intervertebral foramina
Sacrum, pelvic surface. (The two rows of four holes are the intervertebral foramina of sacrum, visible but not labeled.)
Peculiar thoracic vertebræ. Intervertebral foramina are indicated by arrows.
Latin	foramina intervertebralia
Gray's	subject #20 96
Dorlands / Elsevier	f_12/12373154

When the spinal vertebrae are articulated with each other the bodies form a strong pillar for the support of the head and trunk, and the vertebral foramina constitute a canal for the protection of the medulla spinalis (spinal cord). Between every pair of vertebræ are two apertures, the intervertebral foramina (singular: foramen; also called neural foramina). The foramen allows for the passage of the spinal nerve root, dorsal root ganglion, the spinal artery of the segmental artery, communicating veins between the internal and external plexuses, recurrent meningeal (sinu-vertebral) nerves, and transforaminal ligaments.

Their size is variable due to placement, pathology, spinal loading, and posture. They can be occluded by arthritic degenerative changes and space-occupying lesions like tumors, metastases and spinal disc herniations.

[edit] External links

• Diagram at mcgill.ca
• Photo of model at Waynesburg College skeleton2/intervertebralforamen
• Diagram at emory.edu
• Roche Lexicon - illustrated navigator, at Elsevier 06363.008-2

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained herein may be outdated. Please edit the article if this is the case, and feel free to remove this notice when it is no longer relevant.

v • d • e Bones of torso Sternum Suprasternal notch, Manubrium, Sternal angle, Body of sternum, Xiphisternal joint, Xiphoid process Rib specific ribs (1, 2, 9, 10, 11, 12, false - 8-12, floating - 11-12) - parts (Angle, Tubercle, Costal groove, Neck, Head) General vertebral structures body of vertebra, vertebral arch (pedicle, lamina, vertebral notch), foramina (vertebral, intervertebral), processes (transverse, articular / zygapophysis, spinous) Cervical vertebrae C1 (anterior arch, posterior arch, lateral mass), C2 (dens), C3, C4, C5, C6, C7 anterior tubercle, posterior tubercle, foramen transversarium Thoracic vertebrae T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, T6, T7, T8, T9, T10, T11, T12 costal facets (superior, inferior, transverse) Lumbar vertebrae accessory process, mammillary process, L5 Sacrum pelvic surface (anterior sacral foramina), dorsal surface (posterior sacral foramina, median sacral crest, medial sacral crest, lateral sacral crest), lateral surface (sacral tuberosity), base, sacral hiatus - presacral space - sacral promontory - sacral canal - ala of sacrum - sacrovertebral angle