A qualitative and quantitative analysis of the developing human lumbar vertebral column
type: CreativeWork
description: The human adult lumbar vertebral column plays an important role in loadbearing and weight-transmission between the trunk and the lower limb, while its other functions include acting as a site for haematopoiesis, an area of attachment for soft tissue structures and protection of the spinal cord. While there is a rich source of research focusing on the internal trabecular architecture of the adult lumbar vertebrae, the ontogenetic development of this region is less well understood. This project aimed to both qualitatively and quantitatively assess the developing internal trabecular architecture of the lumbar vertebral centra and to document architectural changes throughout the maturation process. The project aimed to meet three specific objectives. Objective a). aimed assess regional variation in the trabecular architecture of the developing lumbar centra, for example how does the central region of the centrum differ from the peripheral region and are there any differences present between the superior and inferior, or anterior and posterior regions. Objective b). aimed to assess developmental changes in trabecular architecture within the lumbar centra, focusing on quantifying the differences in trabecular architecture between the fetal period, perinatal period, infancy and early childhood. Finally, objective c). aimed to assess vertebral level specific changes in trabecular architecture during development by identifying whether there are any differences in trabecular architecture between the lumbar levels L1, L3 and L5. The imaging modalities of radiography and micro-computed tomography were utilised to achieve these objectives. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the developing fetal and perinatal lumbar vertebral centrum identified significant differences in trabecular architecture between central and peripheral regions of the developing centrum. In the fetal and perinatal periods both regions displayed a structure predominantly driven by ossification with trab…
abstract: The human adult lumbar vertebral column plays an important role in loadbearing and weight-transmission between the trunk and the lower limb, while its other functions include acting as a site for haematopoiesis, an area of attachment for soft tissue structures and protection of the spinal cord. While there is a rich source of research focusing on the internal trabecular architecture of the adult lumbar vertebrae, the ontogenetic development of this region is less well understood. This project aimed to both qualitatively and quantitatively assess the developing internal trabecular architecture of the lumbar vertebral centra and to document architectural changes throughout the maturation process. The project aimed to meet three specific objectives. Objective a). aimed assess regional variation in the trabecular architecture of the developing lumbar centra, for example how does the central region of the centrum differ from the peripheral region and are there any differences present between the superior and inferior, or anterior and posterior regions. Objective b). aimed to assess developmental changes in trabecular architecture within the lumbar centra, focusing on quantifying the differences in trabecular architecture between the fetal period, perinatal period, infancy and early childhood. Finally, objective c). aimed to assess vertebral level specific changes in trabecular architecture during development by identifying whether there are any differences in trabecular architecture between the lumbar levels L1, L3 and L5. The imaging modalities of radiography and micro-computed tomography were utilised to achieve these objectives. Qualitative and quantitative analysis of the developing fetal and perinatal lumbar vertebral centrum identified significant differences in trabecular architecture between central and peripheral regions of the developing centrum. In the fetal and perinatal periods both regions displayed a structure predominantly driven by ossification with trab…
author: Goodchild, Samantha
language: eng
date published: 2019
date modified: 2026-07-24T02:08:46Z
provider: University of Dundee
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: University of Dundee