What does "Surface of the superior portion of the spinous process of C5" mean in a report or doctor's letter? In our medical dictionary, you will find a patient-friendly explanation of the meaning of this medical term.
This term refers to the top part of a specific bone in the neck. The bone is called C5 because it is the fifth bone in the cervical spine, which is the part of the spine in the neck. The spinous process is a bony projection off the back of each vertebra, and it can be felt through the skin. So, the "surface of the superior portion of the spinous process of C5" is simply the top surface of this bony projection on the fifth neck bone.
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