Third Thoracic Vertebra T3, Lateral View

Description

Viewed laterally, the third thoracic vertebra (T3) sits in the upper thoracic column between T2 superiorly and T4 inferiorly, with its vertebral body anterior to the vertebral arch and a posteriorly projecting spinous process angling inferiorly. Short, stout pedicles bridge the body to the laminae, forming the lateral walls of the vertebral foramen, while the superior and inferior vertebral notches contribute to the intervertebral foramina at the T2–T3 and T3–T4 levels. Paired costal demifacets lie on the posterolateral margins of the vertebral body for articulation with the heads of the ribs. Discs separate the adjacent vertebral bodies. This lateral perspective is the one you reach for when teaching why thoracic motion differs from cervical and lumbar segments and how rib articulations constrain flexion and extension while favoring rotation. Clinically, it aligns with how thoracic compression fractures are discussed on plain radiographs and CT, where loss of anterior vertebral body height, disruption of the posterior vertebral line, and proximity to the costovertebral joints guide stability assessment and bracing decisions. Small landmarks matter here. Pedicle morphology and the relationship of the superior articular process to the transverse process set the stage for upper thoracic instrumentation planning. Use this asset in gross anatomy and musculoskeletal teaching modules to anchor vertebral level identification, rib joint mechanics, and intervertebral foramen boundaries. It also fits spine surgery slide decks, radiology teaching files, and textbook figures that need a clean lateral reference for T3 in a male model. Anatomical accuracy verified by SciePro's Medical Advisory Board.