In that example, which vertebra is described as being right rotated?

In that example, which vertebra is described as being right rotated?

• A. T1
• B. T2
• C. T3
• D. T4

Answer: (A)

The direction you name for a vertebra comes from how the vertebral body actually rotates and how that shows up on the posterior landmarks. When a vertebra is rotated to the right, the spinous process tends to tilt or point to the left when you palpate from behind. The first thoracic vertebra in the example is the one whose spinous process is oriented to the left, signaling that its body is rotated to the right. That makes it the right-rotated segment in this scenario. In the surrounding vertebrae, the spinous processes don’t show that same leftward orientation, so they’re not the right-rotated level. The key idea is using the spinous process direction as a clue: left-pointing spinous process = vertebral body rotated to the right.

The direction you name for a vertebra comes from how the vertebral body actually rotates and how that shows up on the posterior landmarks. When a vertebra is rotated to the right, the spinous process tends to tilt or point to the left when you palpate from behind. The first thoracic vertebra in the example is the one whose spinous process is oriented to the left, signaling that its body is rotated to the right. That makes it the right-rotated segment in this scenario.

In the surrounding vertebrae, the spinous processes don’t show that same leftward orientation, so they’re not the right-rotated level. The key idea is using the spinous process direction as a clue: left-pointing spinous process = vertebral body rotated to the right.