Thoracic Cage

Question 1

How many thoracic vertebrae are there?

Answer 1

12

Question 2

How many pairs of ribs are there?

Answer 2

12 (some people have 11-13 – sometimes an extra cervical or lumbar)

Question 3

What are the parts of the sternum?

Answer 3

manubrium, body, xiphoid process

Question 4

The medial superior part of the manubrium is a notch. What’s it called? And what’s the aka?

Answer 4

jugular (aka sternal) notch

Question 5

What are the names of the articular facets on either side of the jugular (aka sternal) notch?

Answer 5

clavicular notches

Question 6

At what age do sternabrae tend to complete fusion?

Answer 6

between puberty and 25

Question 7

At what age does the xiphoid process fuse to the body of the sternum?

Answer 7

Around 40

Question 8

What’s the aka for the body of the sternum?

Answer 8

gladiolus (latin for small sword)

Question 9

What’s the name and two akas for the joint of the manubrium to the body of the sternum?

Answer 9

manubriosternal joint aka sternal angle aka angle of Louis

Question 10

What is the manubriosternal (aka sternal angle aka angle of Louis) a landmark for?

Answer 10

rib 2

Question 11

Along the side of the body of the sternum are costal notches for the articulation of:

Answer 11

costal cartilage

Question 12

Which are the “true” ribs? And why are these “true”?

Answer 12

ribs 1-7 because they have a direct connection to the sternum via their own costal cartilage

Question 13

Which are “false” ribs, and why are they called “false”?

Answer 13

ribs 8-12 because they have either have an indirect connection with sternum via 7th rib costal cartilage (8-10) or they don’t connect at all (11 and 12)

Question 14

Which are floating ribs and why are they called “floating”?

Answer 14

ribs 11 and 12 because they are unattached anteriorly

Question 15

Which are “typical” ribs?

Answer 15

ribs 2-10

Question 16

What makes typical ribs “typical”?

Answer 16

they have a head, neck, tubercle and shaft

Question 17

What’s the longest rib?

Answer 17

rib 7

Question 18

The head of each rib has a superior and inferior facet. What do they articulate with?

Answer 18

• inferior facet of head of rib articulates with the superior costal facet of the vertebral body of the vertebra with the same number
• superior facet articulates with the inferior costal facet of the superior vertebra
• e.g. the superior costal facet on T4 articulates with rib 4
• e.g. the inferior costal facet on T4 articulates with rib 5

Question 19

Where is the neck of a rib located?

Answer 19

between the head and the tubercle

Question 20

Where is the tubercle of the rib and what does it articulate with?

Answer 20

located between the neck and shaft of the rib; articulates with the TVP of the vertebra with the same number

Question 21

What directions do ribs travel after they come off the vertebral body?

Answer 21

1. posteriorly
2. laterally
3. inferiorly
   …until they get to the rib angle, then travel…
4. anteriorly

Question 22

What are the parts/surfaces of the shaft of the rib?

Answer 22

• angle

- costal groove (for the costal nerve)

Question 23

Which costal facet on the vertebral body articulates with the rib of the same number?

Answer 23

superior costal facet

Question 24

The inferior costal facet on a vertebral body articulates with the head of the superior or inferior rib?

Answer 24

inferior rib (e.g. the inferior costal facet on T4 articulates with rib 5)

Question 25

Which are the atypical ribs and which vertebral bodies do they articulate with?

Answer 25

ribs 1, 11, 12 -- each articulates with the vertebral body with the same number (just articulate with one vertebra)

Question 26

Which is the shortest, broadest and most curved of the ribs?

Answer 26

rib 1

Question 27

The anterior part of the 1st rib is the attachment point of a muscle. What's the muscle and name of the attachment point on the rib?

Answer 27

anterior scalene muscle; scalene tubercle

Question 28

There are two grooves for veins in the first rib. What are they called and which is anterior/posterior?

Answer 28

- groove for subclavian artery (anterior) | - groove for subclavian vein (posterior)

Question 29

What factors distinguish ribs 11 and 12 from the others?

Answer 29

- floating ribs - small facet on the head of the rib - no neck, no tubercle - doesn't make contact with the TVP, just vert body

Question 30

In addition to articulating with numerically corresponding vertebral body, the IVD and the vertebra above, what else do true ribs (1-10) connect with posteriorly?

Answer 30

intervertebral disc

Question 31

Which have typical vertebral bodies and what makes them "typical"?

Answer 31

vertebra 2-9 because they each have 2 articular facets - each articulate with the rib of the same number and the inferior rib - each articulates with an IVD

Question 32

Which are atypical ribs and what makes them "atypical"?

Answer 32

ribs 1, 11, 12 - not connected to a disc - articulate with numerically corresponding vertebral body only - 1 articulates with TVP, but 11 and 12 do not have tubercles and do not articulate with TVPs

Question 33

Which have atypical vertebral bodies and what makes them "atypical"?

Answer 33

vertebrae 1, 10, 11, 12 - T1 has complete superior facet and demi-facet inferiorly - T10-12 have only one facet surface on each side

Question 34

What are some distinguishing features of cervical vertebrae?

Answer 34

- uncinate processes (2-7) - bifid SPs - transverse foramen - oblique facet orientation

Question 35

Where does the vertebral artery travel in relation to vertebrae?

Answer 35

through transverse foramina of C1-C6

Question 36

What are some distinguishing features of thoracic vertebrae?

Answer 36

- two costal demi-facets on the body (per side) - costal facets on TVPs - SP that points down - facet orientation tends to be in the frontal/coronal plane

Question 37

What are some distinguishing features of lumbar vertebrae?

Answer 37

- large bodies - large SPs projecting horizontally - facet orientation tends to be in the sagittal plane

Question 38

What do the superior angle, spine, and inferior angle of the scapula landmark?

Answer 38

T2, T3, rib 7

Question 39

Which vertebrae articulate with each other at joints between their bodies and between their articular processes (with facets)?

Answer 39

C2-S1