The prevertebral space is a space in the neck. On one side it is bounded by the

prevertebral fascia The prevertebral fascia (or prevertebral layer of cervical fascia) is a fascia in the neck. Variations In some literature, the prevertebral fascia also includes the other fascial layers extending around the vertebral column and enclosing all musc ...

. On the other side, some sources define it as bounded by the

vertebral bodies The spinal column, a defining synapomorphy shared by nearly all vertebrates,Hagfish are believed to have secondarily lost their spinal column is a moderately flexible series of vertebrae (singular vertebra), each constituting a characteristic ...

, and others define it as bounded by the

longus colli The longus colli muscle (Latin for ''long muscle of the neck'') is a Skeletal muscle, muscle of the human body. The longus colli is situated on the anterior surface of the vertebral column, between the atlas (anatomy), atlas and the third thoracic ...

. It includes the prevertebral muscles (

and

longus capitis The longus capitis muscle (Latin for ''long muscle of the head'', alternatively rectus capitis anticus major), is broad and thick above, narrow below, and arises by four tendinous slips, from the anterior tubercles of the transverse processes of th ...

vertebral artery The vertebral arteries are major arteries An artery (plural arteries) () is a blood vessel in humans and most animals that takes blood away from the heart to one or more parts of the body (tissues, lungs, brain etc.). Most arteries carry o ...

vertebral vein The vertebral vein is formed in the suboccipital triangle, from numerous small tributaries which spring from the internal vertebral venous plexuses and issue from the vertebral canal above the posterior arch of the Atlas (anatomy), atlas. They un ...

scalene muscle The scalene muscles are a group of three pairs of muscles in the lateral neck, namely the anterior scalene, middle scalene, and posterior scalene. They are innervated by the third to the eight cervical spinal nerves (C3-C8). The anterior and ...

phrenic nerve The phrenic nerve is a mixed motor/sensory nerve which originates from the C3-C5 spinal nerves in the neck. The nerve is important for breathing because it provides exclusive motor control of the diaphragm, the primary muscle of respiration. In ...

and part of the

brachial plexus The brachial plexus is a network () of nerves formed by the anterior rami of the lower four cervical nerves and first thoracic nerve ( C5, C6, C7, C8, and T1). This plexus extends from the spinal cord, through the cervicoaxillary canal in th ...

. In trauma, an increased thickness of the prevertebral space is a sign of injury, and can be measured with

medical imaging Medical imaging is the technique and process of imaging the interior of a body for clinical analysis and medical intervention, as well as visual representation of the function of some organs or tissues (physiology). Medical imaging seeks to rev ...

Clinical significance

On plain radiography, prevertebral space should be less than 6 mm at C3 vertebral level in children; while in adults, the space should be less than 6 mm at C2 level and less than 22 mm at C6 level. Causes of enlarged prevertebral space could be edema, hematoma, abscess, tumors, and post surgical changes. File:CT of prevertebral space.jpg, CT scan with upper limits of the thickness of the prevertebral space at different levels.

References

Human head and neck {{anatomy-stub