C5 or Fifth Vertebra, Inferior View

Description

Oriented from an inferior perspective, the fifth cervical vertebra (C5) presents its vertebral body anteriorly and the vertebral arch posteriorly, framing the vertebral foramen where the cervical spinal cord would pass. Paired inferior articular facets occupy the posterolateral corners of the vertebral arch and face inferoposteriorly to meet the superior articular facets of C6, while the pedicles and laminae define the lateral and posterior margins of the canal. Laterally, the transverse processes project to either side with the transverse foramina positioned anterolaterally, and the bifid spinous process sits in the posterior midline. Uncinate processes rise along the superior posterolateral margins of the vertebral body, just medial to the pedicles. Alignment at C5 to C6 matters. This segment sits near the common level of degenerative spondylosis and disc herniation that can narrow the intervertebral foramen and produce C6 radiculopathy, a pattern that tracks into the thumb and radial forearm with weakness of wrist extension. From below, the relationship between the uncinate processes, the uncovertebral joints (of Luschka), and the inferior articular facets clarifies where osteophytes encroach and why foraminal stenosis can occur even with modest disc height loss. It also mirrors the bony targets of posterior cervical foraminotomy and helps explain the corridor used in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion at C5 to C6. Use this plate for spine anatomy teaching in gross anatomy, orthopaedic surgery, or neurosurgery curricula, and for labeling figures in textbooks covering cervical biomechanics, facet orientation, and degenerative change at mid-cervical levels. It also supports patient education and clinical documentation when correlating radiographs, CT, or MRI with the exact articular surfaces involved at C5 to C6. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.