Spinal Cord

Description

Posterior view of an adult Black woman with a transparency effect through the scalp and dorsal trunk reveals the encephalon and spinal cord as a continuous axis of central nervous tissue. Superiorly, the cerebrum and cerebellum occupy the cranial cavity, tapering into the brainstem at the level of the foramen magnum, where the cord begins and descends within the vertebral canal. The spinal cord runs in the midline, posterior to the vertebral bodies and anterior to the vertebral arches and spinous processes, with segmental spinal nerve roots implied laterally as they exit toward the intervertebral foramina. Clear midline anatomy. Clinically, this posterior composition maps directly onto where neurologic deficits are localized in routine practice: a brain lesion produces crossed or cortical signs, while a spinal cord lesion generates level-dependent motor and sensory findings below the injury. The continuity from brainstem to cord supports teaching of myelopathy patterns such as cervical spondylotic myelopathy, thoracic cord compression, and traumatic spinal cord injury, and it pairs well with explaining why lumbar puncture targets the lumbar cistern below the conus medullaris rather than the cord itself. Skin-tone accurate representation also matters when building inclusive neurology and spine education materials. Use this asset for neuroanatomy and clinical neuroscience lectures, spine surgery and neurosurgery slide decks, patient-facing explanations of spinal cord injury, and publisher figures introducing the central nervous system and vertebral canal relationships. It also reads well as a chapter opener or web hero image when you need an anatomically faithful posterior silhouette with internally highlighted brain and spinal cord. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.