"body: kidney shaped, convex anteriorly, flattened posteriorly; resulting vertebral canal is triangular in cross-section"
"pedicles: project directly posteriorly, attached to the upper half of the body"
"transverse processes: spatulate in shape, project laterally on both sides; L3 most often has the longest transverse processes of the lumbar spine, a fact that can be used to number the vertebrae"
"lamina: broad, thick, overlap minimally"
"spinous process: single, short, thick, roughly horizontal, hatchet-shaped (upper border is straight, lower border curves down)"
"facet (zygapophyseal) joints: obliquely orientated, cylindrically-shaped articular surfaces"
Expected headings
"Relations and/or boundaries"
"Anterior column"
"Middle column"
"Posterior column"
"body: kidney shaped, convex anteriorly, flattened posteriorly; resulting vertebral canal is triangular in cross-section"
"transverse processes: spatulate in shape, project laterally on both sides; L3 most often has the longest transverse processes of the lumbar spine, a fact that can be used to number the vertebrae"
"at the ridge: psoas fascia, anterior layer of the lumbar fascia, medial and lateral arcuate ligaments (at L1)"