Table 1.

Vertebral geometry in literature (IDH = Intervertebral disc height, VBH = Vertebral body height)

Author	Method(s)	Dimensions measured	Summary of results
Eijkelkamp2	MRI, X-ray	Sagittal diameters, IDH, wedge angle, endplate depth	Wedge angle increases from T12-L1 to L5-S1. Endplate depth increases from T12 to L5 and S1 is flat. Average lumbar endplate depth is 1.2 mm (ranging from −1.1 to 3.6 mm)
Panjabi6	Cadavers	Sagittal and Transverse diameters, cortex thickness	Thickness and density of the cervical cortex shell described
Silva9	Cadavers	Cortex thickness	Superior cortex thickness between 0.25 and 0.26 mm. Inferior cortex thickness between: 0.29 and 0.52 mm
Ritzel8	Cadavers	Cortex thickness	Mean thickness of ventral shell 0.308 mm and of dorsal shell 0.272 mm
Nissan5	X-ray	Sagittal diameters, VBH, IDH (from which we derived wedge angle data)	Anterior IDH increases from T12-L1 to L5-S, respectively, from 7.8 to 10.6 mm
Tan11	Cadavers	Sagittal and Transverse diameters, VBH	All dimensions lower in Chinese population group
Aharinejad1	Cadavers/CT/MRI	Sagittal and Transverse diameters, VBH, IDH, marginal rim	IDH increases from L1-L2 to L5-S1, respectively, from 8.5 to 10.3 mm
Twomey12	Cadavers	VBH, IDH	Increase in vertebral body concavity with age
Zhou14	CT	Sagittal and Transverse diameters, VBH, IDH	Posterior VBH decreases from L3 to L5, respectively, 29.9 to 28.4 mm
Hall3	CT	Sagittal and Transverse diameters	Shape of endplate is cartoid at L4 and becomes more elliptical toward S1