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General Structure of a Vertebra

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 Column

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...

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Muscles of the Vertebral Column

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Superficial Layer:
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Structural Joints: Cartilaginous Joints

Structural Joints: Cartilaginous Joints

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Vertebral Column: Regions and Curvature

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.
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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...

Spinal Cord: Cross-sectional Anatomy

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 31, 2026

Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging for Assessment of Spinal Cord Blood Flow in Experimental Spinal Cord Injury

Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging for Assessment of Spinal Cord Blood Flow in Experimental Spinal Cord Injury

Published on: May 7, 2015

The "fish-vertebra" sign.

Panagiotis G Ntagiopoulos¹, Dimitrios Anestis Moutzouris, S Manetas

¹Guy's and St Thomas', NHS Trust, London, SE1, UK.

BMJ Case Reports

|June 21, 2011

Summary

The "fish-vertebra" sign, characterized by softened, biconcave lumbar vertebrae, is a radiographic finding. It typically indicates bone ischemia and is commonly associated with sickle cell disease.

Area of Science:

Radiology
Hematology
Orthopedics

Background:

The
This sign results from ischemia affecting the vertebral growth plate.
It is a characteristic finding in sickle cell disease.

Purpose of the Study:

To describe the radiographic appearance of the
To explain the underlying pathophysiology of the
To highlight the association of this sign with sickle cell disease.

Main Methods:

Radiographic analysis of spinal morphology.
Review of clinical data in patients with suspected vertebral abnormalities.
Correlation of imaging findings with hematological diagnoses.

Main Results:

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 31, 2026

Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging for Assessment of Spinal Cord Blood Flow in Experimental Spinal Cord Injury

Contrast Enhanced Ultrasound Imaging for Assessment of Spinal Cord Blood Flow in Experimental Spinal Cord Injury

Published on: May 7, 2015

The
Radiographs demonstrate biconcave deformities in vertebral bodies, resembling a fish vertebra.
Bone softening is evident in affected vertebrae.

Conclusions:

The
Radiologists and clinicians should consider sickle cell disease in the differential diagnosis of patients presenting with the
Early recognition of this sign can aid in timely diagnosis and management of sickle cell disease.