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

Contents

• spinal nerve root
• dorsal root ganglion
• recurrent meningeal (sinuvertebral) nerve
• segmental spinal arteries
• intervertebral veins
• transforaminal ligaments (when present)