Anatomy Pearls

Bones:

• The cervical vertebrae have a transverse foramen through which the vertebral arteries and veins pass.
• The transverse foramen of C8 contains only the vein, not the artery.
• Cervical vertebrae have uncovertebral joints which facilitate head rotation. Hypertrophy of these joints is a common cause of neural foramenal obstruction.
• Atlas is the strongest cervical vertebrae.
• Axis has no body, just an anterior and posterior arch.
• Ribs 11 and 12 (the “floating” ribs) attach only to the vertebrae, not the sternum. Furthermore, they articulate at a single costal facet on the vertebral body.
• Rib 1 and 10 articulate with a superior and transverse costal facet respectively on the body and transverse process of their vertebrae.
• Ribs 8-10 are so-called “false ribs” because they articulate anteriorly with the costal cartilage of the ribs above them rather then with the sternum or manubrium.
• All other ribs articulate with three costal facets, one on the body, one on the transverse process, and one on the vertebra one level above.
• The navicular bone sits behind the small “navy” of cuneiform bones.