Eleventh Thoracic Vertebra T11, Anterior View

Description

Centered in the lower thoracic column, the T11 vertebra is presented from an anterior perspective with the vertebral body dominant in the foreground and the adjacent intervertebral discs superior and inferior. A single complete costal facet (fovea costalis) sits on the posterolateral margin of the vertebral body, positioned to meet the head of the eleventh rib at the costovertebral joint. The vertebral arch and spinous process fall posteriorly and are largely out of plane from this viewpoint, while the pedicles and lateral margins of the body frame the intervertebral foramina more laterally. Clear segmental context is maintained by the neighboring thoracic vertebrae above and below. T11 matters because it sits at the thoracolumbar junction, a transition zone where thoracic kyphosis gives way toward lumbar lordosis and where compressive and flexion forces concentrate. The solitary full costal facet is a teaching anchor for distinguishing T11 and T12 from mid-thoracic vertebrae that carry demifacets, and it explains why costovertebral pain patterns differ at the floating ribs. Clinically, this level is frequently discussed in osteoporotic wedge compression fractures, traumatic burst injuries, and surgical planning for thoracolumbar instrumentation, where vertebral body height and endplate integrity drive decisions. Spine anatomy courses and rib articulation modules use this view to reinforce thoracic vertebra identification, costal facet morphology, and the relationship of vertebral bodies to discs and segmental motion. It also fits well in radiology and orthopaedics publications that pair anterior anatomy with AP radiographs or CT reformats when localizing lesions and describing thoracolumbar alignment. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.