vertebral column and ribs
Stenosis
a narrowing of a passageway or a vessel.
Spinal stenosis
a narrowing of spaces within your spine, which can put pressure on your spinal cord and the nerves that travel through the spine.
What are costovertebral joints?
Between the head of the rib, superior costal facet of the corresponding vertebrae, and the inferior costal facet of the vertebrae above.
Cervical spondylosis
Cervical spondylosis is a degenerative condition that affects the vertebrae and soft tissues in the cervical portion of the spine
What different types of movement are allowed by the costotransverse joints?
Costotransverse joint - Between the tubercle of the rib, and the transverse costal facet of the corresponding vertebrae. The flat articular surface of tubercles and transverse processes of the 7th thru 10th ribs allow gliding.
What is a demifacet?
Demifacet -- Within the context of thoracic vertebrae, the head of a rib is joined to two thoracic vertebrae via costal demifacets. Half of the facet is on the superior vertebra and half of the facet is on the inferior vertebra. The demifacet may be semilunar or semicircular.
Radiculopathy
Radiculopathy is the medical term for the pain and numbness resulting from a compressed nerve root.
How do the heads of ribs articulate with the vertebral column?
The head of the rib articulates with the superior costal facet of the same numbered vertebra, the inferior costal facet on the vertebra superior to it and the adjacent intervertebral disc uniting the two vertebrae.
demifacet
Two demifacets are located on the superior and inferior aspects of the body for articulation with corresponding sites on the heads of adjacent ribs. The superior costal facet articulates with part of the head of the same number rib, and the inferior costal facet articulates with part of the head of the rib below. An oval facet called the transverse costal facet at the end of the transverse process articulates with the tubercle of its same numbered rib.
Hypertrophy
abnormal enlargement or excessive growth
Herniation
an abnormal protrusion
Intervertebral discs
consist of an outer layer an annulus fibrosis and an inner part called nucleus pulposus. The annulus fibrosus is composed of collagen and fibrocartlilage tissue arranged in concentric rings. The nucleus pulposus is a jellylike structure made up of mainly mucoproteins. The nucleus pulposus is avascular and receives nutrition by diffusion from surrounding blood vessels.
Spondylosis
degeneration of the spine
costotransverse joint
joint is an articulation between the articular costal tubercle of the rib and the costal facet of the transverse process of a thoracic vertebra. The 1st thru 7th ribs rotate about an axis that runs longitudinally through the neck of the rib. The flat articular surface of tubercles and transverse processes of the 8th thru 10th ribs allow gliding.
The head of the rib articulates with
the superior costal facet of the same numbered vertebra, the inferior costal facet on the vertebra superior to it and the tubercle of the rib articulates with the transverse process of the same numbered rib.
exceptions to the one head attached to two demifacets
the superior costal facets on the body of the vertebra TI are complete and articulate with a single facet on the head of its own rib- in other words, the head of rib I does not articulate with vertebra CVII; similarly, vertebra TX (and often TIX) articulates only with its own ribs and therefore lacks inferior demifacets on the body; Vertebra TXI and TXII articulate only with the heads of their own ribs- they lack transverse costal facets and have only a single complete facet on each side of their bodies
Intervertebral discs
üare located in between the bodies of the vertebrae. They are made of fibrocartilage and facilitate movement between the vertebrae, assure no friction between the bones, hold weight, and absorb shock to the vertebral column and spinal cord. There are no disc between the atlas and axis and the lowest functional disc is between L5 and S1.
