Читать книгу Anatomy of bone system. The manual for medical students / Анатомия костной системы. Учебное пособие для медицинских вузов - Г. И. Ничипорук - Страница 19

The thoracic vertebrae, vertebrae thoracicae (Th_I– Th_XII), are much bigger than the cervical vertebrae (fig. 2.1). The height and transverse size of the thoracic vertebrae bodies gradually increase from the I to XII vertebra. The distinctive feature of the thoracic vertebrae is the presence of the articular facets or demi-facets for articulation with ribs. These facets are located on the lateral sides of the bodies and on the transverse processes.

Most vertebrae have two demi-facets. They are directly in front of the pedicle of the vertebral arch: one – at superior edge, the other – at inferior edge. They are called the superior costal facet and inferior costal facet, respectively, fovea costalis superior et fovea costalis inferior. Each such facet (demi-facet to be more precise) of one vertebra, together with the nearest demi-facet of the adjacent vertebra, form an articular area for articulation with the head of the rib. An exception is the I vertebra: it has a complete facet to articulate with the I rib, and a demi-facet to articulate with the II rib. The X vertebra has only the superior demi-facet for articulation with the X rib. The XI and XII vertebrae have one complete facet for articulation with the corresponding ribs.

The articular processes of the thoracic vertebrae are located in the frontal plane. The articular surfaces of superior articular processes are directed backwards, the articular surfaces of the inferior articular processes are directed forwards. The transverse processes are directed laterally and backwards; their length increases from the I to the IX vertebra but then they become shorter. The ends of the transverse processes are thickened. They have a transverse costal facet, fovea costalis processus transversi, for articulation with the tubercle of the rib. The XI and XII vertebrae do not have such facet.

The spinous processes of the thoracic vertebrae are longer than the spinous processes of the cervical vertebrae; they are tilted downwards and lie on each other like tiles.