Fourth Thoracic Vertebra T4, Posterior View

Description

Positioned in the mid thoracic spine, the fourth thoracic vertebra (T4) is isolated in posterior view with its spinous process projecting posteriorly and sloping inferiorly toward T5. Flanking the spinous base, the right and left laminae converge at the midline, while the transverse processes extend laterally toward the costotransverse articulations. Superior and inferior articular processes sit just lateral to the laminae, forming the zygapophyseal joints with T3 above and T5 below. Posterior elements dominate this perspective. T4 is a practical vertebral level because its posterior bony landmarks guide level identification when counting thoracic segments, yet the long, caudally angled thoracic spinous processes can mislead clinicians who assume the tip overlies the same-numbered vertebral body. That relationship matters during thoracic epidural placement and during posterior approaches for laminectomy or pedicle screw fixation, where the lamina, facet joints, and transverse processes define the surgical corridor and protect the spinal canal. Facet orientation at this level also constrains motion, so fractures and dislocations behave differently than in the cervical or lumbar regions. Small margins. Use this illustration for gross anatomy teaching on vertebral regional differences, for radiology and spine surgery texts that correlate posterior surface anatomy with thoracic levels, or for patient-facing materials explaining mid-back pain sources such as facet arthropathy at T3 to T5. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.