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Related Concept Videos

Vertebral Column: Regions and Curvature01:16

Vertebral Column: Regions and Curvature

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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...
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General Structure of a Vertebra01:30

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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...
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Articulations of the Vertebral Column01:28

Articulations of the Vertebral Column

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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 Column01:27

Muscles of the Vertebral Column

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The back muscles that lie deep into the thoracolumbar fascia are called intrinsic or true back muscles. These muscles are divided into four layers: superficial, intermediate, deep, and deepest layers.
Superficial Layer:
The superficial layer consists primarily of the splenius muscles, which include the splenius capitis and splenius cervicis. These muscles are mainly responsible for the head and cervical spine movements, including extension, rotation, and lateral bending. The splenius capitis...
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Structural Joints: Cartilaginous Joints01:17

Structural Joints: Cartilaginous Joints

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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...
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Spinal Nerves: Anatomy01:23

Spinal Nerves: Anatomy

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Spinal nerves are pivotal conduits in the nervous system, bridging the central nervous system (CNS) with the peripheral nervous system (PNS). These nerves enable a complex communication network between the brain, spinal cord, and the rest of the body, facilitating sensory input, motor output, and autonomic functions.
There are 31 bilateral pairs of spinal nerves, each emerging from the spinal cord through the intervertebral foramina—openings between adjacent vertebrae. These nerves are...
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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 16, 2026

Optical Sectioning and Visualization of the Intervertebral Disc from Embryonic Development to Degeneration
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Optical Sectioning and Visualization of the Intervertebral Disc from Embryonic Development to Degeneration

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The "ivory vertebra" sign.

Greg Matthews1, Raymond B Dyer2

  • 1Department of Radiology, Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, Medical Center Blvd, Winston-Salem, NC, 27157, USA. gmatthew@wakehealth.edu.

Abdominal Radiology (New York)
|August 13, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

The ivory vertebra sign indicates diffuse vertebral sclerosis. This finding, seen on CT or radiography, can suggest systemic disease beyond typical bone metastases.

Keywords:
IvoryOsteoblasticScleroticSignSpineVertebra

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Area of Science:

  • Radiology
  • Oncology
  • Pathology

Background:

  • The ivory vertebra sign describes diffuse sclerosis of a vertebral body.
  • Classically associated with osteoblastic metastatic disease, this radiographic finding has a differential diagnosis.
  • It is observable on computed tomography (CT) and standard radiography.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the differential diagnosis of the ivory vertebra sign.
  • To highlight its significance as a potential indicator of systemic disease.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of relevant studies and case reports.
  • Analysis of imaging characteristics of the ivory vertebra sign.
  • Correlation with clinical and pathological findings.

Main Results:

  • The ivory vertebra sign is not exclusive to metastatic disease.
  • Conditions such as Paget's disease, lymphoma, and other blastic lesions can mimic this sign.
  • Radiographic and CT findings are crucial for initial detection.

Conclusions:

  • The ivory vertebra sign is a valuable imaging clue.
  • It necessitates a broad differential diagnosis, extending beyond metastatic disease.
  • Recognition of this sign prompts further investigation into underlying systemic conditions.