Dermatome Chart Cervical Spine – The term “dermatome” is a combination of two Ancient Greek words; “derma” indicating “skin”, and “tome”, meaning “cutting” or “thin section”. It is an area of skin which is innervated by the posterior (dorsal) root of a single spinal nerve. As posterior roots are arranged in segments, dermatomes are. This is why the term “dermatome” refers to the segmental innervation of the skin.
Dermatomes Diagram Spinal Nerves And Locations – Dermatomes Diagram Spinal Nerves And Locations
Neighboring dermatomes typically, if not always overlap to some degree with each other, as the sensory peripheral branches representing one posterior root usually go beyond the limit of their dermatome. As such, the thin lines seen in the dermatome maps are more of a clinical guide than a genuine boundary. Dermatome Chart Cervical Spine
This implies that if a single spinal nerve is impacted, there is most likely still some degree of innervation to that section of skin originating from above and listed below. For a dermatome to be totally numb, generally two or three surrounding posterior roots require to be affected. In addition, it’s crucial to note that dermatomes are subject to a big degree of interindividual variation. A visual representation of all the dermatomes on a body surface area chart is referred to as a dermatome map. Dermatome Chart Cervical Spine
Dermatome maps
Dermatome maps portray the sensory distribution of each dermatome across the body. Clinicians can examine cutaneous feeling with a dermatome map as a method to localize lesions within main worried tissue, injury to particular spinal nerves, and to determine the level of the injury. Numerous dermatome maps have actually been established throughout the years but are frequently conflicting.
The most typically utilized dermatome maps in major books are the Keegan and Garrett map (1948) which leans towards a developmental interpretation of this idea, and the Foerster map (1933) which correlates better with clinical practice. This article will review the dermatomes using both maps, determining and comparing the significant differences between them.
Why Are Dermatomes Important?
To understand dermatomes, it is important to understand the anatomy of the spinal column. The spinal column is divided into 31 sections, each with a pair (right and left) of anterior and posterior nerve roots. The types of nerves in the posterior and anterior roots are various.
Anterior nerve roots are responsible for motor signals to the body, and posterior nerve roots get sensory signals like pain or other sensory signs. The posterior and anterior nerve roots integrate on each side to form the spinal nerves as they exit the vertebral canal (the bones of the spinal column, or backbone).