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Human Anatomy Self-Assessment Review Questions and answers

Photograph of a nude mature fit female adult in her fifties in a prone recumbent position, showing her shoulders, spine, back, waist, hips and part of her buttock.





Back and Spine  

1. Indicate the number of vertebrae that comprise each region of the vertebral column.

a. cervical ____________________________________________

b. thoracic ____________________________________________

c. lumbar ____________________________________________

d. sacral ____________________________________________

2. Which two (2) regions of the vertebral column are characterized by curvatures in the sagittal plane with a concavity directed posteriorly?

a. ________________________________________________________

b. ________________________________________________________

3. Name each of the ligaments of the vertebral column described below.

a. courses vertically along the anterior surfaces of adjacent vertebral bodies

 ________________________________________________________

b. courses between adjacent laminae

 ________________________________________________________

c. courses between adjacent spinous processes

 ______________________________________________________

d. courses vertically along the posterior surfaces of adjacent vertebral bodies

 ________________________________________________________

4. What is the name of the thickened supraspinous ligament of the cervical spine?

_______________________________________________________________

5. What is the name of the synovial joint formed by the superior and inferior articular processes of adjacent vertebrae?

_______________________________________________________________

6. Which group of vertebrae is characterized by transverse foraminae?

_______________________________________________________________

7. The carotid tubercle is an osteological feature of which vertebra?

_______________________________________________________________

8. The dens is an osteological feature of which vertebra?

_______________________________________________________________

9. Which vertebra is commonly referred to a “vertebra prominens”?

_______________________________________________________________

10. Name the two (2) parts of the vertebral arch.

a. ________________________________________________________

b. ________________________________________________________

11. What are the names of the two (2) parts of the intervertebral disc?

a. central fluid part _____________________________________

b. peripheral fibrous part _____________________________________

12. What is the name of the ligamentous structure that extends from the posterior arch of C1 (atlas) to the base of the cranium?

_______________________________________________________________

13. What is the name of the venous plexus located within the vertebral canal?

_______________________________________________________________

14. What is the name of the thickened connective tissue origin of the latissimus dorsi?

______________________________________________________________

15. Name the three (3) muscles that form the borders of the triangle of auscultation.

a. _________________________________________________________

b. _________________________________________________________

c. _________________________________________________________

16. What two (2) muscles form the superficial layer of intrinsic back muscles?

a. _________________________________________________________

b. _________________________________________________________

17. What muscle group forms the intermediate layer of intrinsic back muscles?

_______________________________________________________________

18. What muscle group forms the deep layer of intrinsic back muscles?

_______________________________________________________________

19. What three (3) muscles form the suboccipital triangle?

a. ________________________________________________________

b. ________________________________________________________

c. ________________________________________________________

20. What two (2) structures lie in the floor of the suboccipital triangle?

a. artery ___________________________________________

b. nerve ___________________________________________

21. Which spinal nerve gives rise to the greater occipital nerve?

___________________________________________________________

22. What vessel passes through the posterior atlanto-occipital membrane?

___________________________________________________________

23. In the adult, what vertebral level marks the caudal extent of the spinal cord?

___________________________________________________________

24. What is the name of the collection of dorsal and ventral roots that lie caudal to the tip of the spinal cord?

___________________________________________________________

25. What is the name of the pia matter structure that lies caudal to the tip of the spinal cord?

___________________________________________________________

26. What is the name of the CSF filled space located below the caudal tip of the spinal cord?

___________________________________________________________

27. What is the name of the meningeal structure that attaches to the dorsum of the coccyx?________________________________________________________

28. What is the name of the pia-derived structure that anchors the spinal cord to the lateral wall of the vertebral canal?

___________________________________________________________

29. What are the three (3) borders of the lumbar (Petit’s) triangle?

a. ______________________________________________________

b. ______________________________________________________

c. ______________________________________________________

30. What part of the intervertebral disc is a remnant of the embryological notochord?

____________________________________________________________

31. What are the three (3) muscles that comprise the erector spinae (sacrospinalis) muscle group?

a. _____________________________________________________

b. _____________________________________________________

c. _____________________________________________________

32. What are the three (3) muscles that comprise the transversospinal group of the posterior spinal muscles?

a. _____________________________________________________

b. _____________________________________________________

c. _____________________________________________________

33. What are the four (4) components of the occipitoaxial ligament?

a. _____________________________________________________

b. _____________________________________________________

c. _____________________________________________________

d. _____________________________________________________

34. What nerve innervates the muscles of the suboccipital triangle?

____________________________________________________________

35. What is the name of the lower sacral segments of the spinal cord?

__________________________________________________________

36. What vertebral segment marks the caudal extent of the spinal subarachnoid space?

__________________________________________________________

Answer Key

1. a. eight (8)

b. twelve (12)

c. five (5)

d. five (5)

2. a. cervical spine

b. lumbar spine

3. a. anterior longitudinal ligament

b. ligamentum flavum

c. interspinous ligament

d. posterior longitudinal ligament

4. ligamentum nuchae

5. zygapophyseal (facet) joint

6. cervical vertebrae

7. C7

8. C2 (axis)

9. C7

10. a. lamina

b. pedicle

11. a. nucleus pulposus

b. anulus fibrosus

12. posterior atlanto-occipital membrane

13. internal vertebral plexus (Batson’s plexus)

14. thoracolumbar fascia (thoracodorsal fascia, lumbodorsal fascia)109

15. a. trapezius

b. latissimus dorsi

c. rhomboid major

16. a. splenius capitis

b. splenius cervicis

17. erector spinae muscles

18. transversospinal muscles

19. a. rectus capitus posterior major

b. obliquus capitus superior

c. obliquus capitus inferior

20. a. vertebral artery

b. suboccipital nerve

21. C2

22. vertebral artery

23. L1 or L2

24. cauda equina

25. filum terminale (internum)

26. lumbar cistern

27. coccygeal ligament

28. denticulate ligament

29. a. superior margin of the iliac crest

b. posterior margin of the external oblique

c. anterior margin of the latissimus dorsi

30. nucleus pulposis

31. a. iliocostalis

b. longissimus

c. spinalis

32. a. semispinalis

b. multifidus

c. rotatores

33. a. cruciform ligament

b. apical ligament

c. alar ligament

d. tectorial membrane

34. suboccipital nerve

35. conus medullaris

36. S2

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