Dalley, 10th Edition

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Vertebrae

Transverse costal facet (for tubercle of rib)

Vertebral body

Intervertebral foramen

Space for IV disc

Vertebral foramen

2

Inferior and superior costal facets (for head of rib)

Spinous process (descending to overlap inferior vertebra)

Vertebral body

(A) Superior view ( red arrows indicate rotation around central axis [ red dot ])

(B) Lateral view

Radiologic “disc space” (intervertebral disc) Intervertebral foramen

H P TP SP

Head of rib Pedicle of vertebra

TP

Transverse process of vertebra Spinous process (tip overlaps inferior IV disc and vertebra)

T9 SP

P

P

TP

Pedicle Head of 10th rib (note position of articulation with vertebral body) Spinous process Articular processes inferior superior Head of 11th rib Body of vertebra T12

Joint of heads of ribs

Arrow

T10 SP

H

P

P

11th rib

T11 SP

P

P

H

T12 SP

12th rib

L1

(C) Anteroposterior radiograph

(D) Lateral radiograph

FIGURE 2.9. Thoracic vertebrae. A. Isolated typical vertebrae. B. Articulated typical vertebrae. C. In anterior radiographs, articulating ribs obscure lateral features of the vertebrae. D. In lateral radiographs, articulating ribs obscure the vertebral arch components of the vertebrae, but the uniform vertebral bodies and radiographic “disc spaces” between them (caused by the radiolucency of the IV discs) are apparent.

TABLE 2.3. THORACIC VERTEBRAE

Part

Characteristics

Vertebral body

Heart shaped; two or four costal facets for articulation with heads of the ribs

Vertebral foramen

Circular and smaller than those of cervical and lumbar vertebrae (admits the distal part of a medium-size index nger)

Transverse processes

Long and strong and extend posterolaterally; length diminishes from T1 to T12 (T1–T10 have facets for articulation with tubercle of the rib)

Articular processes

Nearly vertical articular facets; superior facets directed posteriorly and slightly laterally; inferior facets directed anteriorly and slightly medially; planes of facets lie on an arc centered in the vertebral body Copyright © 2027 Wolters Kluwer. Unauthorized reproduction of the article is prohibited. Long; slope posteroinferiorly; tips extend to level of vertebral body below

Spinous processes

can be felt deep in the nuchal groove , the super cial vertical groove at the back of the neck.

characteristic features of thoracic vertebrae are illustrated in Figures 2.6B and 2.9 and listed in Table 2.3. The middle four thoracic vertebrae (T5–T8) demonstrate all the features typical of thoracic vertebrae. The articular processes extend vertically with paired, nearly coronally ori ented articular facets that de ne an arc centered in the IV disc. This arc permits rotation and some lateral exion of the vertebral column in this region. In fact, the greatest degree of rotation is permitted here (Fig. 2.9A). Attachment of the

THORACIC VERTEBRAE The thoracic vertebrae are in the upper back and provide attachment for the ribs (see Fig. 2.2). Thus, the primary characteristic features of thoracic vertebrae are the costal facets for articulation with ribs. The costal facets and other