C4 or Fourth Vertebra, Anterior View

Description

Centered in the frame, the C4 vertebra is presented from the anterior aspect, with the vertebral body in the midline and the intervertebral disc surface oriented superiorly and inferiorly. Laterally, the transverse processes extend on each side, and the transverse foramina are visible as paired openings that distinguish a typical cervical vertebra. Posterior to the body, the vertebral foramen leads into the spinal canal, and the articular processes with their superior facets sit posterolaterally, forming the zygapophysial (facet) joints with C3. Small nutrient foramina can be appreciated on the anterior vertebral body. Good landmarks. This anterior view is the one most clinicians mentally reconstruct when correlating plain radiographs, CT, or operative anatomy at the midcervical level, because it emphasizes the vertebral body height and the relationship of the uncovertebral margins to the transverse processes. At C4, uncovertebral osteophytes and disc height loss commonly contribute to foraminal stenosis, and the nearby vertebral artery within the transverse foramen becomes a practical constraint during anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) and in lateral decompression. Seeing the transverse foramina in context helps you teach why the vertebral artery is generally protected, yet still at risk with aggressive lateral drilling. Use this illustration in gross anatomy and neuroanatomy teaching when introducing the typical cervical vertebra, in spine surgery atlases for ACDF level orientation, or in radiology education to anchor cross-sectional anatomy of the cervical spinal column. It also fits patient-facing educational materials explaining midcervical spondylosis with accurate bony landmarks. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.