Intervertebral foramen
The intervertebral foramen is an opening between two pedicles of adjacent vertebra in the articulated spine. Each intervertebral foramen gives passage to a spinal nerve and spinal blood vessels, and lodges a posterior root ganglion. Cervical, thoracic, and lumbar vertebrae all have intervertebral foramina.
Anatomy
Structure
In the thoracic region and lumbar region, each vertebral foramen is additionally bounded anteriorly by the body of vertebra and adjacent intervertebral disc.In the cervical region, a small part of the body of vertebra inferior to the intervertebral disc also forms the anterior boundary of the IVF.
Contents
A number of structures pass through the IVF: spinal nerve roots, a recurrent meningeal nerve, radicular arteries, segmental medullary arteries, intervertebral veins, and lymphatic vessels.The posterior root ganglion is situated within the IVF. The adipose tissue of the spinal epidural space extends into the IVF. The spinal dura mater extends laterally with each departing spinal nerve, reaching into the IVF. Transforaminal ligaments extend through the IFV.