THORACIC VERTEBRA-COSTAL FACETS

SUMMARY

1. The costal facets differentiate thoracic vertebrae from others

2. Part of the morphological neural arch and not the centrum

3. Actually consists of 2 pairs of demifacets, each (covered by hyaline cartilage) makes a separate synovial joint with the facet of the rib head

4. The upper demifacet lies between the upper border of the body & upper border of the pedicle, semicircular in outline & lies vertical

5. The lower demifacet lies on the lower border of the body, smaller & faces downwards


Image: Case courtesy of OpenStax College, Radiopaedia.org. From the case rID: 42770.

Reference(s)

R.M.H McMinn (1998). Last’s anatomy: regional and applied. Edinburgh: Churchill Livingstone. Get it on Amazon.
Drake, Richard L., et al. Gray's Anatomy for Students. Elsevier, 2023. Get it on Amazon.