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The intervertebral foramen (also called neural foramen, and often abbreviated as IV foramen or IVF) is a
foramen In anatomy and osteology, a foramen (;Entry "foramen"
in
between two
spinal vertebrae The spinal column, a defining synapomorphy shared by nearly all vertebrates,Hagfish are believed to have secondarily lost their spinal column is a moderately flexible series of vertebrae (singular vertebra), each constituting a characteristic ...
. Cervical,
thoracic The thorax or chest is a part of the anatomy of humans, mammals, and other tetrapod animals located between the neck and the abdomen. In insects, crustaceans, and the extinct trilobites, the thorax is one of the three main divisions of the crea ...
, and
lumbar vertebrae The lumbar vertebrae are, in human anatomy, the five vertebrae between the rib cage and the pelvis. They are the largest segments of the vertebral column and are characterized by the absence of the foramen transversarium within the transverse p ...
all have intervertebral foramina. The foramina, or openings, are present between every pair of vertebrae in these areas. A number of structures pass through the foramen. These are the root of each spinal nerve, the spinal artery of the segmental artery, communicating veins between the internal and external plexuses, recurrent meningeal (sinu-vertebral) nerves, and transforaminal ligaments. When the spinal
vertebra The spinal column, a defining synapomorphy shared by nearly all vertebrates, Hagfish are believed to have secondarily lost their spinal column is a moderately flexible series of vertebrae (singular vertebra), each constituting a characteristi ...
e are articulated with each other, the bodies form a strong pillar that supports the head and trunk, and the
vertebral foramen In a typical vertebra, the vertebral foramen is the foramen (opening) formed by the anterior segment (the body), and the posterior part, the vertebral arch. The vertebral foramen begins at cervical vertebra #1 (C1 or atlas) and continues inferio ...
constitutes a canal for the protection of the medulla spinalis (
spinal cord The spinal cord is a long, thin, tubular structure made up of nervous tissue, which extends from the medulla oblongata in the brainstem to the lumbar region of the vertebral column (backbone). The backbone encloses the central canal of the sp ...
). The size of the foramina is variable due to placement, pathology, spinal loading, and posture. Foramina can be occluded by
arthritic Arthritis is a term often used to mean any disorder that affects joints. Symptoms generally include joint pain and stiffness. Other symptoms may include redness, warmth, swelling, and decreased range of motion of the affected joints. In s ...
degenerative changes and space-occupying lesions like
tumor A neoplasm () is a type of abnormal and excessive growth of tissue. The process that occurs to form or produce a neoplasm is called neoplasia. The growth of a neoplasm is uncoordinated with that of the normal surrounding tissue, and persists ...
s,
metastases Metastasis is a pathogenic agent's spread from an initial or primary site to a different or secondary site within the host's body; the term is typically used when referring to metastasis by a cancerous tumor. The newly pathological sites, then ...
, and
spinal disc herniation Spinal disc herniation is an injury to the cushioning and connective tissue between vertebrae, usually caused by excessive strain or trauma to the spine. It may result in back pain, pain or sensation in different parts of the body, and physical ...
s. Specifically, the intervertebral foramen is bordered by the superior notch of the adjacent vertebra, the inferior notch of the vertebra, the intervertebral joint and the intervertebral disc. File:Projectional radiograph of cervical foraminal stenosis, annotated.jpg,
Projectional radiograph Projectional radiography, also known as conventional radiography, is a form of radiography and medical imaging that produces two-dimensional images by x-ray radiation. The image acquisition is generally performed by radiographers, and the images a ...
of a man presenting with pain by the
nape The nape is the back of the neck. In technical anatomical/medical terminology, the nape is also called the nucha (from the Medieval Latin rendering of the Arabic , "spinal marrow"). The corresponding adjective is ''nuchal'', as in the term ''nu ...
and left shoulder, showing a stenosis of the left intervertebral foramen of cervical spinal nerve 4 due to age-related degenerative changes, corresponding with the affected dermatome


References


External links

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skeleton2/intervertebralforamen Photo of model at Waynesburg College
{{Authority control Bones of the thorax Bones of the vertebral column