Spinal cord ends at which vertebral level?

Spinal cord ends at which vertebral level?

• A. L1
• B. L2
• C. L3
• D. S1

Answer: (A)

The end of the spinal cord is the conus medullaris, which in adults sits around the upper lumbar region, typically at the level of the first lumbar vertebra. Many anatomy references state L1 as the usual end, though there can be variation up to around L2. This happens because the spinal cord stops growing earlier than the vertebral column, so as the spine lengthens during development the cord ends higher than the column does. Below the conus medullaris, the nerve roots descend as the cauda equina within the lumbar cistern. This arrangement explains why the end of the cord is at about L1 and why safer procedures like lumbar puncture are performed below that level.

The end of the spinal cord is the conus medullaris, which in adults sits around the upper lumbar region, typically at the level of the first lumbar vertebra. Many anatomy references state L1 as the usual end, though there can be variation up to around L2. This happens because the spinal cord stops growing earlier than the vertebral column, so as the spine lengthens during development the cord ends higher than the column does. Below the conus medullaris, the nerve roots descend as the cauda equina within the lumbar cistern. This arrangement explains why the end of the cord is at about L1 and why safer procedures like lumbar puncture are performed below that level.