How many bones are in the thoracic region?

How many bones are in the thoracic region?

• A. 11
• B. 13
• C. 12
• D. 10

Answer: (C)

Think of the spine in sections: cervical, thoracic, and lumbar. The thoracic region specifically contains twelve vertebrae, labeled T1 through T12. So the bones in that region number twelve. It’s easy to mix this up with the thoracic cage (the ribs and sternum), which has a different total, but the question about the thoracic region’s bones refers to the vertebrae themselves.

Think of the spine in sections: cervical, thoracic, and lumbar. The thoracic region specifically contains twelve vertebrae, labeled T1 through T12. So the bones in that region number twelve. It’s easy to mix this up with the thoracic cage (the ribs and sternum), which has a different total, but the question about the thoracic region’s bones refers to the vertebrae themselves.