VISCERAL ANATOMY EXAM 1
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS [GRADED
A+]
What are the components of the thoracic cage? - ✔✔Sternum
Costal cartilages
12 pairs of ribs
12 thoracic vertebrae
What are the components of the thoracic wall? - ✔✔Thoracic cage
(sternum, costal cartilages, 12 pairs of ribs, 12 thoracic vertebrae) +
overlying skin
What are the borders of the superior thoracic aperture (thoracic inlet)? -
✔✔T1 vertebra
Superior border of manubrium
1st pair of ribs + costal cartilages
©morren2025/2026.Year published 2026.
,What are the contents of the superior thoracic aperture (thoracic inlet)? -
✔✔Trachea
Esophagus
Neurovasculature supplying head/neck/UE
What are the borders of the inferior thoracic aperture (thoracic outlet)? -
✔✔T12 vertebra
Xiphisternal joint
11th and 12th ribs
Costal cartilages 7-10
(Closed by diaphragm)
What are the contents of the inferior thoracic aperture (thoracic outlet)? -
✔✔Structures in the thoracic outlet pass through 3 openings:
- @ T8: twigs of R phrenic n. pass thru IVC hiatus
- @ T10: ant/post vagal trunks pass thru esophageal hiatus
- @ T12: thoracic duct passes thru aortic hiatus
©morren2025/2026.Year published 2026.
,What are the characteristics of typical thoracic vertebrae? - ✔✔- long,
inferiorly-angled SPs ("giraffes")
- costal facets located on the anterior aspect of the TPs
- demifacets located laterally on T2-9 vertebral bodies
What are the characteristics of atypical thoracic vertebrae? - ✔✔- T1: full
single facet for 1st rib + demifacet for 2nd rib
- T10: costal facet partly on body and pedicle + demifacets bilaterally on
body
- T11 and T12: only one costal facet on each side on the pedicles
What are the different categories of ribs? - ✔✔- True: direct attachment to
sternum (1-7)
- False: attach to cartilage of rib above (8-10)
- Floating: mobile, no attachment (11-12)
What structures can be found on the head of the rib? - ✔✔- Inferior
articular facet: articulates with vertebrae of same number
- Superior articular facet: articulates with vertebral body above
©morren2025/2026.Year published 2026.
, What structures can be found on the neck of the rib? - ✔✔Crest:
attachment for the superior costotransverse ligament
What structures can be found on the tubercle of the rib? - ✔✔Non-articular
part: attachment for the lateral costotransverse ligament
What structures can be found on the shaft of the rib? - ✔✔Costal groove:
houses intercostal vein, artery, and nerve
What are the characteristics of atypical ribs? - ✔✔- 1st: has the scalene
tubercle serving as the attachment for anterior scalene m.
- 2nd: has a tubercle serving as the attachment for serratus anterior m.
- 10th: one facet so attachment is only to one vertebra
- 11th/12th: no neck or tubercles
What are the characteristics of the sternum? - ✔✔- Manubrium: located at
the T3-4 level
- Body: located at the T5-9 level, shorter and thinner in females
- Xiphoid process: located at the T10 level
©morren2025/2026.Year published 2026.
QUESTIONS WITH ANSWERS [GRADED
A+]
What are the components of the thoracic cage? - ✔✔Sternum
Costal cartilages
12 pairs of ribs
12 thoracic vertebrae
What are the components of the thoracic wall? - ✔✔Thoracic cage
(sternum, costal cartilages, 12 pairs of ribs, 12 thoracic vertebrae) +
overlying skin
What are the borders of the superior thoracic aperture (thoracic inlet)? -
✔✔T1 vertebra
Superior border of manubrium
1st pair of ribs + costal cartilages
©morren2025/2026.Year published 2026.
,What are the contents of the superior thoracic aperture (thoracic inlet)? -
✔✔Trachea
Esophagus
Neurovasculature supplying head/neck/UE
What are the borders of the inferior thoracic aperture (thoracic outlet)? -
✔✔T12 vertebra
Xiphisternal joint
11th and 12th ribs
Costal cartilages 7-10
(Closed by diaphragm)
What are the contents of the inferior thoracic aperture (thoracic outlet)? -
✔✔Structures in the thoracic outlet pass through 3 openings:
- @ T8: twigs of R phrenic n. pass thru IVC hiatus
- @ T10: ant/post vagal trunks pass thru esophageal hiatus
- @ T12: thoracic duct passes thru aortic hiatus
©morren2025/2026.Year published 2026.
,What are the characteristics of typical thoracic vertebrae? - ✔✔- long,
inferiorly-angled SPs ("giraffes")
- costal facets located on the anterior aspect of the TPs
- demifacets located laterally on T2-9 vertebral bodies
What are the characteristics of atypical thoracic vertebrae? - ✔✔- T1: full
single facet for 1st rib + demifacet for 2nd rib
- T10: costal facet partly on body and pedicle + demifacets bilaterally on
body
- T11 and T12: only one costal facet on each side on the pedicles
What are the different categories of ribs? - ✔✔- True: direct attachment to
sternum (1-7)
- False: attach to cartilage of rib above (8-10)
- Floating: mobile, no attachment (11-12)
What structures can be found on the head of the rib? - ✔✔- Inferior
articular facet: articulates with vertebrae of same number
- Superior articular facet: articulates with vertebral body above
©morren2025/2026.Year published 2026.
, What structures can be found on the neck of the rib? - ✔✔Crest:
attachment for the superior costotransverse ligament
What structures can be found on the tubercle of the rib? - ✔✔Non-articular
part: attachment for the lateral costotransverse ligament
What structures can be found on the shaft of the rib? - ✔✔Costal groove:
houses intercostal vein, artery, and nerve
What are the characteristics of atypical ribs? - ✔✔- 1st: has the scalene
tubercle serving as the attachment for anterior scalene m.
- 2nd: has a tubercle serving as the attachment for serratus anterior m.
- 10th: one facet so attachment is only to one vertebra
- 11th/12th: no neck or tubercles
What are the characteristics of the sternum? - ✔✔- Manubrium: located at
the T3-4 level
- Body: located at the T5-9 level, shorter and thinner in females
- Xiphoid process: located at the T10 level
©morren2025/2026.Year published 2026.
