Thoracic vertebrae

Windpipe A rigid tube, 10 cm long, extending from the cricoid cartilage to the upper border of the fifth thoracic vertebra. [NIH]... 

Dissect the vertebral column. Note the cell bodies of lumbar motor neurons are more rostral than their exit points, i.e., L4 cells bodies are in upper lumbar or even lower thoracic vertebrae, even though the spinal nerve exits at the fourth lumbar vertebrae. The more caudal vertebral column contains only the cauda equina, the dorsal, and ventral roots of lower lumbar and sacral motor neurons (Fig. 20.2). 

Miss Muxdroozol plays nervously with a few of her thoracic vertebrae. Apparently she can remove and replace them at will with no deleterious effect to her well-being or body s integrity. Perhaps she can regenerate them at will and need not return the portable vertebrae to her spinal column. 

Miss Muxdroozol is playing with her thoracic vertebrae when she looks at Bob and asks, Why is helium-4 called an alpha particle ... 

The kidneys form a paired organ system located in the retroperitoneal space. They extend from the level of the lower part of the 11th thoracic vertebra to the upper portion of the 3rd lumbar vertebra, with the right kidney situated slightly lower than the left. The adult kidney is about 12 cm... 

The nerve supply to the liver comes from the vagus and phrenic nerves and the sympathetic ganglia originating from cell bodies in the spinal cord that are located between the seventh and the tenth thoracic vertebrae. These merge to accompany the hepatic artery and bile ducts throughout the liver. 

Fuyuta et al. (1978) reported that an oral dose of MeHg chloride at 7.5 mg/ kg on gestational days 6-13 in mice was embiyocidal, and doses of 5 or 6 mg/kg reduced fetal weights and increased the incidence of malformations (cleft palate and fused thoracic vertebrae). 

Like Cdxl null mice, Cdx2 heterozygotes exhibit homeotic transformations of the vertebral column which affect the posterior cervical and anterior thoracic vertebrae (Chawengsaksophak et ah, 1997 Fig. 2). These defects overlap with the posterior region of the vertebral column impacted in Cdxl homozygous null mutants, but extend to more caudal levels. This may reflect relative patterns of expression... 

The trachea passes from the larynx to the level of the fourth thoracic vertebra, where it divides into the two main bronchi that enter the right and left lungs. The anterior and lateral walls of the trachea and main bronchi are composed of about 20 C-shaped plates of cartilage, which are joined together by a posterior wall composed of bundles of interlacing smooth-muscle fibers, epithelial cells, mucus glands, and elastic fibers. A schematic diagram of the trachea and main bronchi is presented in Fig. 2. Just after the tracheal... 

Ribs occur in pairs, articulating with the thoracic vertebrae of the spinal column at the back and (in reptiles, birds, and mammals) with the sternum (breastbone) in front. Movements of the rib cage, controlled by Intercostal muscles between the ribs, are important in breathing (see respiratory movement). 

For this study, the barycentermetric data recorded were the vertebral level of GF, center of weight supported by the hip joints the distance of GF from the frontal wedge of the thoracic vertebra the distance GFFP between the vertical projection of GF and the hip axis (Fig. 4). 

Fig. 2.29a,b. Lateral cervical spine. Centre Midway between the external auditory canal and the head of the humerus. Area imaged Full length of the cervical spine, D thoracic vertebrae and the soft tissue structures of the neck, e.g. trachea... 

Fig. 2.31a,b. AP Cl/2 (Peg) View. Centre Midway between the chin and the sternal notch using a 15° cranial tube angle. Area imaged Full width of the neck and full length of the cervical spine and the 1 thoracic vertebrae... 

The backbone consists of seven cervical vertebrae, twelve thoracic vertebrae, five lumbar vertebrae and three to five coccygeal vertebrae (taUbone sacrum ). The general function of the backbone is to sustain the head, torso and the arms and to make a stable posture possible. The backbone has natural curvatures in the cervical and lumbar areas of the back. Because of these curvatures the shape of the backbone is called a double-S shape . This special shape makes a straight posture possible and prevents overloads of the torso. The function of the shape is to absorb shocks that occur if you walk, run or during other movements whereby the spinal cord has to be protected. The motion in the spine can be realized because of the interaction of the intervertebral disks, joints, ligaments and muscles. 

The spine has 33—34 vertebrae. The number of vertebrae can individually differ, but 99% of all humans have 33—34 vertebrae. The composition of all vertebrae is equal but they differ in size, so the cervical vertebrae are small in comparison to the lumbar vertebrae. The reason is that the lumbar vertebrae have to be very powerful and stable in order to hold a big part of the body weight, in comparison to the cervical vertebrae and the thoracic vertebrae. The vertebrae are constructed on top of each other and are connected to the intervertebral disks, muscles, ligaments and joints. 

Lumbar disk herniations appear frequently in both men and women it literally means a rupture or bulge . This disease is also called hernia nucleuspolposus and can differ per patient. There are three different places in the back where a disk herniation can take place in the cervical vertebrae, thoracic vertebrae and lumbar vertebrae. In most of the cases a disk herniation will appear in the lumbar vertebrae. 

The trachea begins at the larynx and extends for approximately 12 cm to the car in a, where it bifurcates into the right and left mainstem bronchi. Since the trachea is rather mobile, it can change its length substantially. Thus, the carina can move from the level of the upper border of the fifth thoracic vertebra (position during tidal respiration) to the level of the sixth thoracic vertebra during deep inspiration (Standring 2004). The an-... 

Fig. 37.9a,b. Patient (prone position) with major osteolysis (anterior two thirds) of lower thoracic vertebra showing osteosclerosis of the posterior third and both pedicles. First transpedicular access was obtained with a surgical manual drill (a). 

Fig. 38.3. A 64-year-old female patient with two painful osteolytic metastases affecting the 12th thoracic vertebra (displayed) and the 3rd lumbar vertebra. Needle placement using online CT-fluoroscopy guidance is demonstrated. The tip of the needle is positioned within the center of the osteolytic metastasis (arrow)...

Fig. 38.5a-f. Same patient as in Fig. 38.3. Two osteolytic me-tastases involving the 12th thoracic vertebra (a) and the 3rd lumbar vertebra (b). The posterior wall of the 3rd lumbar vertebra is destroyed. The post-procedural CT scans [axial (c, d), coronal (e) and sagittal (f)] show partial filling of the lesion in...

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