Bone: Posterior tubercle of cervical vertebra
A cervical vertebra. (Posterior tubercle labeled at center left.)
Side view of a typical cervical vertebra. (Posterior tubercle labeled at bottom.)
Latin	tuberculum posterius vertebrae cervicalis
Gray's	subject #21 99

The posterior arch of a cervical vertebra forms about two-fifths of the circumference of the ring: it ends behind in the posterior tubercle, which is the rudiment of a spinous process and gives origin to the Recti capitis posteriores minores.

The diminutive size of this process prevents any interference with the movements between the atlas and the skull.

[edit] Additional images

Cervical vertebra

This article was originally based on an entry from a public domain edition of Gray's Anatomy. As such, some of the information contained within it may be outdated.

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