22 A MANUAL OF ANATOMY 



nutrient foramina, as in the cervical vertebrae. The superior 

 and inferio - surfaces are related to the intervertebral discs, and the 

 anterior and posterior surfaces are related to the anterior and 

 posterior common ligaments. 



The pedicles spring from either lateral extremity of the posterior 

 surface of the body, and their upper borders are very nearly on a 

 level with its superior surface. Each pedicle is laterally compressed, 

 and is directed backwards and slightly outwards. "The superior 

 vertebral notches are shallow, and each is usually bounded in 

 front by a transverse neuro-central lip. The inferior vertebral 

 notches are deep and wide. 



The laminae are short, deep, and compressed from before back- 

 wards, their planes being sloped downwards and backwards. The 



_ Body 



Superior Articular 

 Process 



Fig. 14.— The Sixth Thoracic Vertebra (Superior View). 



markings for the ligamenta subflava are the same as in cervical 

 vertebrae. 



The spinous process is triangular or bayonet-shaped. Its direc- 

 tion is downwards and slightly backwards, and it terminates in 

 a sloping border ending below in a sharp point. The spinous 

 processes of the central thoracic vertebrae are imbricated or over- 

 lapping. 



The articular processes are nearly circular, their surfaces are 

 flat, and their planes are almost vertical. The superior pair pro- 

 ject upwards from the junction between the pedicles and laminae, 

 and they look backwards and slightly upwards and outwards. 

 The inferior pair are placed on the anterior surfaces of the 

 laminae, and they look forwards and slightly downwards and 

 inwards. 



