Thorax

Question 1

How many ribs are there?

Answer 1

24 ribs

Question 2

How many false ribs are in the thoracic cage?

Answer 2

5 (8,9,10,11,12)

Question 3

What is the anatomy of the rib?

Answer 3

Head (has articular costal heads for the vertebrae which are wedge-shaped)

Neck (Between the head and the tubercle)

Tubercle (articulation of the transverse processes)

Body (Shaft) :the angle of the rib is present here)

Costal groove ( intercostal vessels and nerves sit here)

Question 4

What and where is the intervertebral joint?

Answer 4

This is where the two vertebral bodies articulate with the intervertebral disk in the middle.

Symphysis (cartilage, lacks joint cavity)

Amphiarthrosis (Partially moving joints, absorbs shock)

Question 5

What does the costovertebral joint articulate?

Answer 5

The Head of the rib joins with the superior costal facet and inferior costal facet of the vertebrae

The Intra-articular ligament separates the 2 articular surfaces on either side of the crest of the head into two articular cavities to the IV disc.

Radiate sternocostal ligaments (fibrous bands)covers the articulation of the rib head and sternum.

Question 6

What is the radiate sternocostal ligaments?

Answer 6

Fibrous bands that radiate from the front and back of the sternal ends of the costal cartilages to the anterior and posterior surfaces of the sternum cover the articulation of the rib head and sternum.

Question 7

What is the costotransverse joint?

Answer 7

This synovial joint that joins the tubercle of the rib with a transverse costal facet of the vertebra of same number.

Question 8

What ligaments stabilize the costotransverse joint? (CLS)

Answer 8

• Costotransverse ligament: is medial to the joint and attaches the neck of the rib to the transverse process.
• Lateral costotransverse ligament: is lateral to the joint and attaches the tip of the transverse process to the roughened nonarticular part of the tubercle of the rib.
• Superior costotransverse ligament: attaches the superior surface of the neck of the rib to the transverse process of the vertebrae above.

Question 9

What is the costochondrial joint?

Question 10

What end of the rib articulates with the vertebrae?

Answer 10

The head of the rib has two facets usually which attaches to the thoracic vertebrae forming the costovertebral joint.

Question 11

What are the two joints that connect the head of the rib to the vertebral column?

What kind of joints are these considered to be?

Answer 11

Costovertebral joint

Costotransverse joint

These are synovial plane joints

Question 12

What joints of the thorax is covered by ligament and name the ligament?

Answer 12

The costovertebral joint between the head of the rib and the vertebrae

Sternocostal rib between the chondral end of rib and the sternum

Radiate ligament