III. Vertebral Column/Spinal Column: Spinal Canal & Spinal Cord Relationships. (Pg. 24)

Question 1

At the intervertebral foramen, what is the relationship between spinal nerve number and vertebral number along the cervical spine?

Answer 1

in the cervical spine, spinal nerves exit above the segment they are numbered after (C8 nerve is the exception to this rule). C3 nerve exits above C3 or between C2/C3

Question 2

What is the relationship between spinal nerve number, rib number and vertebral number in a thoracic intervertebral foramen?

Answer 2

the spinal nerve number relates to the upper segment number in the vertebral couple
the rib number relates to the lower segment number in the vertebral couple
i.e. T3 nerve exits the intervertebral foramen formed by T3/T4 and rib 4 joints with this vertebral couple