Lordosis has a marked effect on vertebra volume
(Fig. 6a), second moment of area with respect to lateral
bending and second moment of area with respect to
dorso-ventral bending (Fig. 6b) after controlling for the
effect of total length (tð7Þ¼11:72; po0:001; tð7Þ ¼
8:32; po0:001 and tð7Þ¼5:06; po0:005).
Although the second moment of area with respect to
lateral bending of a lordotic vertebra shows the same
distribution over the length of the vertebra as that of a
normal vertebra (Fig. 5b), its mean peak value is 2.7 times
the values of normal vertebrae (evaluated at TL =
37.5 mm). The mean peak value of the second moment of
area with respect to dorso-ventral bending is 1.6 times the
values of normal vertebrae (evaluated at TL = 37.5 mm).
A visualization of three consecutive lordotic vertebrae
in situ (Fig. 7) shows no direct contact between bony
vertebrae in the lordotic region. The same is true for
normal vertebrae. The notochordal mass and intervertebral
ligaments were not detected by the scanner.