ABSTRACT
If one were to examine the anatomy of a typical rib, such as that in Image 4.11, he or she would find a head posteriorly, a depression or surface for reception of the costal cartilage anteriorly, and an intervening shaft which bends obliquely along its course. The inferomedial surface of this shaft bears a groove, the costal groove (see Image 4.12), along which runs a neurovascular bundle that consists of a vein, artery and nerve that supply the anterior and lateral walls of the trunk. The proximal part of the rib bears a head, neck and tubercle. The head has upper and lower articulating demifacets which are separated by a transverse crest. Think back to our discussion of typical thoracic vertebrae (page 172). Recall that typical thoracic vertebral bodies have superior and inferior demifacets. These are for articulation with the demifacets on the head of the ribs. The neck of the ribs is a flattened portion between the head and the tubercle and it lies in front of the transverse process of its corresponding vertebra. The tubercle can be divided into a medial articular portion and a lateral non-articular portion. It is this tubercle which articulates with the transverse processes of the vertebrae.
