Inferior Costal Facet Of The Thoracic Vertebra, Anatomy

Description

Inferior costal facet (fovea costalis inferior) occupies the inferolateral margin of a thoracic vertebral body, positioned just superior to the intervertebral disc and inferior to the corresponding superior costal facet on the same vertebra. The articular surface sits lateral to the posterior longitudinal ligament line and medial to the pedicle, forming one half of the costovertebral articulation for the head of a rib. Adjacent bony contours of the vertebral body and the rim of the endplate frame the demi-facet, emphasizing how the rib head straddles two vertebral levels in the mid-thoracic spine. Small but specific. Clinically, this is the contact point implicated in costovertebral joint osteoarthritis and inflammatory arthropathy, where localized thoracic pain can be provoked by respiration or trunk rotation and may mimic pleuritic or cardiac symptoms. The fixed close-up perspective helps you appreciate the inferior edge relationship to the intervertebral disc, a detail that explains why disc space narrowing or osteophytes can alter rib head mechanics and irritate the adjacent sympathetic chain. For teaching rib numbering, the illustration reinforces the rule that a typical rib head articulates with the inferior costal facet of the vertebra above and the superior costal facet of its own-numbered vertebra. Use this illustration in thoracic spine and rib cage anatomy modules, in orthopedic or rheumatology publications discussing costovertebral pain generators, or in surgical education when orienting trainees to thoracic vertebral body landmarks before anterior approaches or instrumentation planning. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.