Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Vertebral Column: Regions and Curvature01:16

Vertebral Column: Regions and Curvature

The vertebral column or spine is a flexible column that supports the head, neck, and body and  allows for their movements. It also protects the spinal cord.
Regions of the Vertebral Column
In an adult, the spine is subdivided into five regions: the cervical, the thoracic, the lumbar, the sacral, and the coccygeal region. The spine initially develops as a series of 33 vertebrae; after 20 years of age, the nine bones in the sacral region, five sacral, and four coccygeal bones fuse to form the...
Sutures of the Skull01:22

Sutures of the Skull

The human skull is composed of several bones that come together to protect the brain and support the structures of the face. The junctions where these bones meet are called sutures.
Sutures are immobile joints between adjacent bones of the skull. The narrow gap between the bones is filled with dense, fibrous connective tissue that unites the bones. The long sutures located between the skull bones are not straight but instead follow irregular, tightly twisting paths. These twisting lines tightly...
General Structure of a Vertebra01:30

General Structure of a Vertebra

A typical vertebra, with the exception of the sacrum and coccyx, consists of a body, a vertebral arch, and seven different projections termed processes. The anterior portion of the vertebrae, the body, supports about half the body’s weight. The vertebral bodies progressively increase in size and thickness from the cervical region to the lumbar region of the vertebral column. The intervertebral discs present between the bodies of adjacent vertebrae firmly unites them, forming a continuous column.
Articulations of the Vertebral Column01:28

Articulations of the Vertebral Column

In addition to being held together by the intervertebral discs, adjacent vertebrae also articulate with each other at synovial joints formed between the superior and inferior articular processes called zygapophysial joints (facet joints). These are plane joints that provide for only limited motions between the vertebrae. The orientation of the articular processes at these joints varies in different regions of the vertebral column and serves to determine the types of motions available in each...
Structural Joints: Cartilaginous Joints01:17

Structural Joints: Cartilaginous Joints

As the name indicates, at a cartilaginous joint, the adjacent bones are united by cartilage, a tough but flexible type of connective tissue. Unlike synovial joints, these types of joints lack a joint cavity and involve bones joined together by either hyaline cartilage or fibrocartilage.
There are two types of cartilaginous joints:
Synchondrosis
A synchondrosis ("joined by cartilage") is a cartilaginous joint where bones are connected by hyaline cartilage. Synchondrosis may be temporary or...
Overview of the Axial Skeleton01:09

Overview of the Axial Skeleton

The skeleton is subdivided into two major divisions—the axial skeleton and the appendicular skeleton. The axial skeleton forms the vertical, central axis of the body. It includes all of the bones of the head, neck, chest, and back. It protects the brain, spinal cord, heart, and lungs. It also serves as the attachment site for muscles that move the head, neck, and back and for muscles that act across the shoulder and hip joints to move their corresponding limbs.
The axial skeleton of the adult...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Understanding the complexity of surgical decision-making for individuals with symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis: A qualitative study.

Chiropractic & manual therapies·2025
Same author

A qualitative exploration of unmet healthcare needs for individuals undergoing surgery for symptomatic lumbar spinal stenosis.

Disability and rehabilitation·2025
Same author

miR-214 and Its Primary Transcript Dnm3os Regulate Fibrosis and Inflammation Through RAGE Signaling in Diabetic Kidney Disease.

Diabetes·2025
Same author

Predictors of Recovery Following Lumbar Microdiscectomy for Sciatica: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies.

Cureus·2023
Same author

Predicting recovery after lumbar spinal stenosis surgery: A protocol for a historical cohort study using data from the Canadian Spine Outcomes Research Network (CSORN).

Canadian journal of pain = Revue canadienne de la douleur·2021
Same author

Advancing spinal fellowship training: an international multi-centre educational perspective.

European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society·2019

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Minimally Invasive Treatment for Thoracolumbar Burst Fracture Using Sagittal Alignment Screws and A Trauma Reduction Device
04:19

Minimally Invasive Treatment for Thoracolumbar Burst Fracture Using Sagittal Alignment Screws and A Trauma Reduction Device

Published on: November 8, 2024

When is a spine fused?

Christina Goldstein1, Brian Drew

  • 1McMaster University Department of Surgery, Division of Orthopaedics, Hamilton Health Sciences - General Site, 6 North Trauma, 237 Barton Street East, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada L8L 2X2. drcgoldstein@gmail.com

Injury
|December 15, 2010
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Diagnosing spinal non-union is crucial for patient care and assessing fusion techniques. This paper reviews non-invasive radiologic methods for spine fusion assessment, offering recommendations for successful diagnosis.

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 6, 2026

Minimally Invasive Treatment for Thoracolumbar Burst Fracture Using Sagittal Alignment Screws and A Trauma Reduction Device
04:19

Minimally Invasive Treatment for Thoracolumbar Burst Fracture Using Sagittal Alignment Screws and A Trauma Reduction Device

Published on: November 8, 2024

Area of Science:

  • Orthopedics
  • Radiology
  • Spine Surgery

Background:

  • Accurate diagnosis of spinal non-union is essential for managing patients post-spine fusion.
  • Surgical exploration, the traditional gold standard, is often impractical for widespread patient assessment.
  • Non-invasive radiologic methods are necessary for evaluating spine fusion success.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To outline common radiologic methods for assessing spine fusion.
  • To discuss the strengths and limitations of each imaging modality.
  • To review evidence for radiologic diagnosis of spinal non-unions and provide recommendations.

Main Methods:

  • Review of common radiologic assessment techniques for spine fusion.
  • Evaluation of the evidence supporting radiologic investigations for diagnosing spinal non-unions.
  • Analysis of imaging modalities for cervical interbody, lumbar interbody, and lumbar posterolateral fusions.

Main Results:

  • Identification of key radiologic methods for spine fusion assessment.
  • Discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of various imaging techniques.
  • Evidence-based review to support the use of specific radiologic modalities.

Conclusions:

  • Non-invasive radiologic assessment is vital for diagnosing spinal non-union when surgical exploration is not feasible.
  • Recommendations are provided for optimal radiologic methods to confirm successful spinal fusion.
  • This review aids clinicians and researchers in diagnosing successful spinal fusions.