title: Anatomy of the lumbosacral spinal cord in rabbits.
abstract: This study provides an accurate, anatomical description of the rabbit's lumbosacral spinal cord. Following humane euthanasia, 64 rabbits were radiographed and dissected. The number of thoracic (T) and lumbar (L) vertebrae was 12T/7L in 43.8%, 13T/6L in 32.8%, and 13T/7L in 23.4% in the 64 rabbits studied. The 13th ribs were rudimentary, asymmetric, or both in 15 animals. The spinal cord terminated within the second sacral vertebra (S2) in 79.3%, within the first sacral vertebra (S1) in 19.0%, and within the third sacral vertebra (S3) in 1.7% of the sample. Spinal nerve contributions to the femoral, obturator, sciatic, and pudendal nerves were determined. Formulas to predict the termination of the cord relative to the vertebral column were established. Age, weight, sex, and method of preparation did not show a significant correlation with the length of the spinal cord.
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Greenaway
authors.forename: G D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Partlow
authors.forename: N L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Gonsholt
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Fisher
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008297:Male; D011817:Rabbits / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D012447:Sacrum; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013131:Spine / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae