Superior costal facet : Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Superior costal facet

Superior costal facet
A thoracic vertebra.
Peculiar thoracic vertebræ.
Details
Identifiers
Latin	fovea costalis superior
TA98	A02.2.03.002
TA2	1060
FMA	9145
Anatomical terms of bone [edit on Wikidata]

The superior costal facet (or superior costal fovea) is a site where a rib forms a joint with the top of a vertebra.

Ribs connect to the thoracic vertebrae at two main points, the inferior and superior costal facets. These connection points are located on two different vertebrae that are located on top of one another. The superior costal facet is located on the inferior thoracic vertebrae. The inferior costal facet is located on the superior vertebrae. While these terms may be confusing, it helps to know that the costal facets are named for their position on the vertebral body itself, not for the part of the rib that they articulate with. Costal facets only apply to ribs 2–9. Ribs 1, 10, 11, and 12 articulate completely onto the thoracic vertebrae rather than in between two of them.^[1]^[2]

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from page 102 of the 20th edition of Gray's Anatomy (1918)

^ Saladin (2006). Anatomy and Physiology Unity of Form and Function. McGraw Hill. pp. 256–257.
^ "Thoracic costal facets" (PDF). palmer.edu. Retrieved 11 December 2013.

External links

Anatomy figure: 18:02-01 at Human Anatomy Online, SUNY Downstate Medical Center - "The costovertebral joint."

Bones of the torso

Vertebrae

General structure	Body Arch pedicle lamina notch Vertebral foramen Intervertebral foramen Processes transverse articular spinous Spinal canal
Cervical vertebrae	Uncinate process of vertebra Transverse foramen Anterior tubercle Carotid tubercle Posterior tubercle Atlas lateral mass anterior arch posterior arch Axis dens Vertebra prominens
Thoracic vertebrae	Costal facets superior inferior transverse Uncinate process of vertebra
Lumbar vertebrae	Processes accessory mammillary
Sacrum	Base sacral promontory Ala of sacrum Lateral surface sacral tuberosity Pelvic surface anterior sacral foramina Dorsal surface posterior sacral foramina Median sacral crest Medial sacral crest Lateral sacral crest Sacral canal sacral hiatus
Coccyx	none

Thorax

Rib cage	Ribs true ribs false ribs floating ribs Parts angle tubercle costal groove neck head
Sternum	Suprasternal notch Manubrium Sternal angle Body of sternum Xiphisternal joint Xiphoid process
Thoracic cage	Superior thoracic aperture Intercostal space Costal margin Infrasternal angle