The spinal cord extends from the medulla down to the L1 vertebra. It is surrounded by three meningeal layers and has 31 pairs of spinal nerves that exit between each vertebra. The spinal cord has grey matter containing nerve cell bodies and white matter containing nerve tracts. The grey matter is arranged into a dorsal horn, ventral horn, and intermediate zone. The white matter contains ascending and descending nerve tracts. The spinal cord receives its blood supply from anterior and posterior spinal arteries and radicular arteries.

1. Spinal
cord

2. ANATOMY OF SPINAL CORD
Continuation of medulla
Within the vertebral canal
Upper border of atlas to lower border
of L1
CONUS MEDULLARIS

4. MENINGEAL LAYERS AROUND THE
SPINAL CORD
► Duramater …S2
► Arachnoidmater …S2
► Piamater …L1
FILUM TERMINALE
Linea splendens
Ligamenta denticulata

6. TRANSVERSE SECTION OF SPINAL CORD

7. SPINAL NERVES & SPINAL SEGMENTS
► Gives off 31 pairs of nerves
► C8 T12 L5 S5 Co1
► Cervical & lumbar enlargements
► CAUDA EQUINA

8. ► Does not correspond to the vertebral
level
► Cervical….1 segment
► Upper thoracic….2 seg
► Lower thoracic….3 seg
► Lumbar ….T11 &T12
► Sacral & Coccygeal….L1

10. INTERNAL STRUCTURE
Grey matter
Ventral horn cells
1.medial group
2.lateral group
3.central

11. Dorsal horn cells
1.Substantia gelatinosa of Rolando
2.nucleus proprius
3.Clarke’s column
4.Marginal zone

12. ► Intermediate zone
1.Intermediolateral
2.Intermediomedial

14. REXED’S LAMINA
► 10 LAMINA
I Marginal zone
II SGR
III, IV Nucleus proprius
V Neck of dorsal grey
column
VI Base of dgc

15. VII Intermed grey matter
VIII, IX Ventral horn
X Around central canal

17. … .INTERNAL STRUCTURE
WHITE MATTER
Ascending tracts
1.Dorsal column tract-FG & FC
2.Spinothalamic tract-ANT & LAT
3.Spinocerebellar tract-ANT & POST
4.Spinotectal tract
5.Spino olivary

18. Descending tracts
1.Corticospinal tract-ANT & LAT
2.Vestibulospinal tract
3.Reticulospinal
4.Rubrospinal tract
5.Tectospinal tract
6.Olivospinal tract

20. Blood supply
► Anterior spinal
► 2 Posterior spinal arteries
► Arteria vasa corona

21. ► Main source of blood is the Vertebral
arteries……cervical
► Radicular arteries…….spinal br. of
vertebral, asc cervical, deep cervical,
intercostal, lumbar and sacral art
► Arteria radicularis magna

22. DISTRIBUTION OF BLOOD SUPPLY
► Radicular art : grey & white matter
► Anterior spinal : ant two-third
ventral grey matter,part of dorsal grey
matter,ant and lat funiculi
► Posterior spinal : post one-third
posterior horn and posterior funiculus

24. VENOUS DRAINAGE
1.Antmed 2.Antlat 3.Postmed 4.Postlat
Venous vasa corona
Radicular veins
Epidural plexus
inter vertebral veins
Regional veins

25. …….thank you