page_title: Cervical rib
section_title: Diagnosis
hierarchical_section_title: Cervical rib / Diagnosis
caption_attribution_description: Deutsch: Halsrippe links. Computertomographie 3D-Rekonstruktion.
context_page_description: A cervical rib in humans is an extra rib which arises from the seventh cervical vertebra. Their presence is a congenital abnormality located above the normal first rib. A cervical rib is estimated to occur in 0.2% to 0.5% of the population. People may have a cervical rib on the right, left or both sides.
  Most cases of cervical ribs are not clinically relevant and do not have symptoms; cervical ribs are generally discovered incidentally. However, they vary widely in size and shape, and in rare cases, they may cause problems such as contributing to thoracic outlet syndrome, because of pressure on the nerves that may be caused by the presence of the rib.
  A cervical rib represents a persistent ossification of the C7 lateral costal element. During early development, this ossified costal element typically becomes re-absorbed. Failure of this process results in a variably elongated transverse process or complete rib that can be anteriorly fused with the T1 first rib below.
context_section_description: On imaging, cervical ribs can be distinguished because their transverse processes are directed inferolaterally, whereas those of the adjacent thoracic spine are directed anterolaterally.
caption: 3D CT reconstruction of a cervical rib.
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