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One of the segments of the spinal column; in humans, there are usually 33 vertebrae: 7 cervical, 12 thoracic, 5 lumbar, 5 sacral (fused into one bone, the sacrum), and 4 coccygeal (fused into one bone, the coccyx). [L. joint, fr. verto, to turn]

- basilar v. the lowest lumbar v..

- block vertebrae congenitally fused and hypoplastic vertebral bodies which, on radiographs, give the appearance of a more or less solid bony mass. See Klippel-Feil syndrome.

- butterfly v. a hemivertebra or sagittally cleft v. that has a butterfly configuration on frontal radiographs; congenital in origin.

- v. C1 atlas.

- v. C2 axis (5).

- caudal vertebrae the vertebrae that form the skeleton of the tail.

- cervical vertebrae [C1–C7] [TA] the seven segments of the vertebral column located in the neck. SYN: vertebrae cervicales [C1–C7].

- vertebrae cervicales [C1–C7] SYN: cervical vertebrae [C1–C7].

- vertebrae coccygeae [Co1–Co4] [TA] SYN: coccygeal vertebrae [Co1–Co4].

- coccygeal vertebrae [Co1–Co4] [TA] the four terminal segments of the vertebral column, usually fused to form the coccyx. SYN: vertebrae coccygeae [Co1–Co4] [TA], tail vertebrae.

- codfish vertebrae exaggeration of the concavity of the upper and lower end plates of the vertebrae, as demonstrated radiographically in various types of osteopenia.

- cranial v. a segment of the skull regarded as homologous with a segment of the vertebral column.

- v. dentata SYN: axis (5).

- dorsal vertebrae [L1–L4] an archaic term for thoracic vertebrae.

- false vertebrae the fused vertebral segments of the sacrum and coccyx. SYN: vertebrae spuriae.

- first cervical v. SYN: atlas.

- hourglass vertebrae the radiographic appearance of some vertebrae in osteogenesis imperfecta tarda.

- H-shape vertebrae sharply delimited depression of the central portion of the endplates of the vertebrae, producing a stocky “H” shape on radiographs, as in sickle cell anemia.

- ivory v. a radiographically dense v., usually from metastatic disease, especially lymphoma when solitary.

- vertebrae lumbales [L1–L5] SYN: lumbar vertebrae [L1–L5].

- lumbar vertebrae [L1–L5] the vertebrae, usually five in number, located in the lumbar region of the back. SYN: vertebrae lumbales [L1–L5].

- v. magna SYN: sacrum.

- odontoid v. SYN: axis (5).

- picture frame v. radiographically diminished density of trabecular bone with relative preservation of the cortex, a sign of osteopenia.

- v. plana spondylitis with reduction of vertebral body to a thin disk.

- v. prominens [TA] the v. in the cervicothoracic region which has the most prominent spinous process (seventh cervical v. in 70% of the cases, sixth in 20%, and first thoracic v. in 10%). SYN: nuchal tubercle.

- rugger jersey v. appearance of a vertebral body with horizontal sclerotic bands adjacent to the endplates; associated with renal osteodystrophy.

- vertebrae sacrales [S1–S5] SYN: sacral vertebrae [S1–S5].

- sacral vertebrae [S1–S5] the segments of the vertebral column, usually five in number, that fuse to form the sacrum. SYN: vertebrae sacrales [S1–S5].

- second cervical v. SYN: axis (5).

- vertebrae spuriae SYN: false vertebrae.

- tail vertebrae SYN: coccygeal vertebrae [Co1–Co4].

- vertebrae thoracicae [T1–T12] SYN: thoracic vertebrae [T1–T12].

- thoracic vertebrae [T1–T12] [TA] the segments of the vertebral column, usually 12, which articulate with ribs to form part of the thoracic cage. SYN: vertebrae thoracicae [T1–T12].

- toothed v. SYN: axis (5).

- true v. any one of the cervical, thoracic, or lumbar vertebrae. SYN: v. vera.

- v. vera SYN: true v..

ver·te·bra 'vərt-ə-brə n, pl -brae -.brā, -(.)brē or -bras any of the bony or cartilaginous segments that make up the spinal column and that have a short more or less cylindrical body whose ends articulate by pads of elastic or cartilaginous tissue with those of adjacent vertebrae and a bony arch that encloses the spinal cord

n. (pl. vertebrae)

one of the 33 bones of which the backbone is composed. Each vertebra typically consists of a body, or centrum, from the back of which arises an arch of bone (the neural arch) enclosing a cavity (the vertebral canal, or foramen) through which the spinal cord passes. The neural arch bears one spinous process and two transverse processes, providing anchorage for muscles, and four articular processes, with which adjacent vertebrae articulate. Individual vertebrae are bound together by ligaments and intervertebral disc.

• vertebral adj.