What causes a pulmonary embolism? Blood clots can form for a variety of reasons. Pulmonary embolisms are most often caused by deep vein thrombosis, a condition in which blood clots form in veins deep in the body. The blood clots that most often cause pulmonary embolisms begin in the legs or pelvis.
All ribs are attached posteriorly to the thoracic vertebrae. The neck of the rib is the flattened part that extends laterally from the head. The neck is about 3 cm long, and is placed in front of the transverse process of the lower of the two vertebrae with which the head articulates.
Your 7 cervical vertebrae support your head and neck and allow you to nod and shake your head. Your ribs attach to your 12 thoracic vertebrae. Your five sturdy lumbar vertebrae carry most of the weight of your upper body and provide a stable centre of gravity when you move. Your sacrum is made up of five fused vertebrae. It makes up the back wall of your pelvis. Your coccyx is made up of four fused vertebrae.