Total Spine: General Structures (Anatomy) - Video Lesson

Hey, everyone. Welcome to today's lesson on general structures of the spine. In this lesson, we will learn about the key functions, structure, and bony parts of the vertebral bodies. MRI scans of the spine are some of the most common studies performed clinically. It is important to know some basics about the structure and function of the bony parts of the spine to better understand how the soft tissues relate to these structures. As we are typically scanning for conditions relating to the soft tissues of the spine. Let's get started. The spine has three major functions, to support the weight of the body, maintain posture, and protect the spinal cord. The spine is made up of thirty three vertebrae stacked in a flexible column. These are grouped into five regions, seven cervical vertebrae in the neck, twelve thoracic in the upper back, five lumbar in the lower back, five fused sacral vertebrae forming the sacrum, and three to five, four being most common, fused coccygeal vertebrae.