Intervertebral foramen

The intervertebral foramina allow passage of structures out of and into the vertebral canal.

Boundaries
  • anterior - lower posterolateral aspect of a vertebral body and the intervertebral disc below, in the thoracic and lumbar regions.
    • in the cervical region a portion of the vertebral body below, predominately the uncinate process, also contributes to the anterior boundary; also, because the pedicle arises more inferiorly from the back of the vertebral body, a small portion of the vertebral body inferior to the disc is also included in the anterior boundary.
  • posterior- facet joint and associated fibrous joint capsule
  • superior- inferior vertebral notch of the pedicle
  • inferior- superior vertebral notch of the pedicle below
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