Lumbar vertebrae
The five lumbar vertebrae are characterised by:
- body:
- deeper, broader and stronger than in superior vertebrae
- kidney-shaped from superior aspect
- no articular costal facets on lateral margins
- vertebral foramen:
- triangular
- larger than thoracic foramina, smaller than cervical foramina
- transverse process:
- base is termed the lateral tubercle
- a small tubercle, the accessory process, projects posteriorly from lateral tubercle
- with progression down spine, sequential transverse processes become displaced anteriorly from a junction with only pedicle to junction with only body
- project posterolaterally
- increase in length to L3 and then decrease again
- superior articulating process:
- project vertically up from the pedicle-lamina junction
- plane of surface directed posteromedially
- articulating surface concave
- at posterolateral edge is rounded mamillary process
- inferior articulating surface:
- at junction of lamina and pedicle projecting vertically
- articulating surface is convex
- plane of articulating surface faces anterolaterally
- with sequential vertebrae down spine, on individual vertebrae, the superior and inferior articulating surfaces get relatively closer together vertically, while inferior articulating processes get further apart horizontally
- spinous process:
- projects posteriorly
- wider with successive inferior vertebrae
- rectangular in median section
- thickened posterior margin
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