Transverse Costal Facets, Gross Anatomy

Description

Thoracic vertebrae are presented with attention to the transverse processes and their transverse costal facets, the concave articular surfaces that receive the tubercle of each rib to form the costotransverse joints. Intervertebral discs separate adjacent vertebral bodies, while the spinous processes project posteriorly and the transverse processes extend laterally from the vertebral arch. Costal facets sit at the posterolateral margin of the vertebrae, positioned lateral to the spinal canal and inferior to the superior articular processes, where they align segmentally with the corresponding ribs. Costotransverse articulation is where thoracic mechanics become measurable: the facet curvature and joint orientation govern how rib motion couples to vertebral rotation during inspiration and expiration. Small changes in this region matter. Degenerative facet arthropathy, inflammatory spondyloarthropathy, or post-traumatic malalignment at the costotransverse joints can present as focal paraspinal pain that worsens with deep breathing or trunk rotation, and these joints are also a target for diagnostic injections performed under fluoroscopy or CT guidance using the transverse process as a bony landmark. Use this plate for teaching thoracic wall biomechanics in gross anatomy and kinesiology courses, and for illustrating chapters on thoracic spine pain generators, costovertebral and costotransverse joint disorders, or interventional approaches that reference transverse processes and adjacent ligaments. It also suits radiology and spine surgery materials that correlate osseous landmarks with CT or MRI anatomy of the thoracic region. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.