C7 vertebra
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
At the time the article was created Tim Luijkx had no recorded disclosures.
View Tim Luijkx's current disclosuresAt the time the article was last revised Craig Hacking had the following disclosures:
- Philips Australia, Paid speaker at Philips Spectral CT events (ongoing)
These were assessed during peer review and were determined to not be relevant to the changes that were made.
View Craig Hacking's current disclosures- C7 vertebrae
- Vertebra prominens
- Seventh cervical vertebra
The seventh cervical vertebra, C7, also known as the vertebra prominens, shares similar characteristics of the like typical cervical vertebra C3-C6, but has some distinct features making it one of the atypical vertebrae. The name vertebra prominens arises from its long spinous process, which is easily palpable.
Gross anatomy
C7 possesses the standard cervical vertebral features but has some distinct features:
spinous process ends in a rounded tubercle and is not bifid
C7 transverse foramina are small, and do not transmit the vertebral artery
C7 anterior tubercle is small, and is the site of attachment for scalenus pleuralis and suprapleural membrane
C8 nerve, which does not have an associated cervical vertebra, exits in the C7-T1 vertebral foramen below C7
Variant anatomy
C7 may possess a cervical rib
C7 foramen may transmit the posterior vertebral vein (if doubled), and may transmit the grey ramus from the inferior cervical ganglion to the anterior ramus of C7
vertebral artery may enter at this level (usually it enters the cervical transverse foramen at C6)
References
- 1. Buttler P. Applied radiological anatomy. Cambridge University Press. (1999) ISBN:0521481104. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 2. Matshes EW. Human Osteology and Skeletal Radiology: An Atlas and Guide. CRC Press. ISBN:0849319013. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
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