Posterior Tubercle Of The Cervical Vertebra, Anatomy

Description

Posterior tubercle anatomy of a typical cervical vertebra is the focus, emphasizing the blunt bony eminence on the posterior aspect of the transverse process. From a posterolateral viewpoint, the tubercle sits lateral to the pedicle and posterolateral to the transverse foramen, with the transverse process extending laterally from the vertebral arch. The groove for the spinal nerve lies between anterior and posterior tubercles, while the superior and inferior articular processes remain medial and slightly posterior relative to the transverse process. A small structure. A reliable landmark. Recognition of the posterior tubercle matters because it frames the intertubercular sulcus that accommodates the ventral ramus as it exits the intervertebral foramen, and it helps you distinguish cervical levels on CT, MRI, and ultrasound where thoracic transverse processes lack the paired tubercles. In the lower cervical spine, identifying the posterior tubercle and transverse foramen together also supports safer planning for procedures near the vertebral artery (typically entering the transverse foramen at C6) and for selective cervical nerve root blocks where the nerve root is sought in relation to the tubercles. Muscle and fascial attachments are not decorative details, the posterior tubercles provide attachment for scalenus medius across multiple levels and for levator scapulae at C1 to C4, linking this bony point to common neck pain generators and myofascial patterns. Use this illustration in gross anatomy teaching of the neck and vertebral column, in radiology education to correlate bony landmarks with neural and vascular relationships, and in surgical or pain medicine publications discussing cervical injections or posterior element instrumentation planning. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.