Cruciate ligament of the atlas

Cruciate ligament of atlas
Membrana tectoria, transverse, and alar ligaments. ("Transverse ligament" and "vertical portion" visible intersecting at center.)
Details
Identifiers
Latin	ligamentum cruciforme atlantis
Dorlands /Elsevier	l_09/12492136
TA	A03.2.04.004
FMA	25018
Anatomical terminology []

The cruciform ligament of atlas (cruciate may substitute for cruciform) is a cruciate ligament in the neck forming part of the atlanto-axial joint. The ligament is named as such because it is in the shape of a cross.

It consists of the transverse ligament of the atlas, along with additional fibers above and below. These fibers are also known as "longitudinal bands".

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)