Spinal cord regions

Description: In an introductory neuroanatomy course that covers the entire central nervous system, one key learning objective is visually distinguishing the three main regions of the spinal cord. Like the regions of the spine, the spinal cord can be divided from superior to inferior into cervical, thoracic, and lumbar. In examinations, students are presented with a dissection or image of a spinal cord cross section and are asked to identify the region they are looking at. The major visual features students must learn include overall shape, proportion of grey matter to white matter, size of anterior horns relative to posterior horns, and presence of cauda equina fibers. This illustration focuses on these features and how each region can be identified based on them. A reference diagram of the spine is also included for context.

Media: Vector, raster (Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop)

References: 
Gilroy, A. M., MacPherson, B. R., Ross, L. M. (2009). Atlas of Anatomy, 2nd Ed. Thieme. (4).
Haines, D. E. Neuroanatomy in Clinical Context: An Atlas of Structures, Systems, and Syndromes. 9th ed. (2015). Wolters Kluwer. (101, 103, 105).