Portions of the spinal column

The ribs are usually attached to the spinal column on the thoracic vertebrae. According to Wilke (2006), the thoracic spine has a curve that bends outwards, forming a shape resembling a backward ” C”; it is known as the kyphotic curve.
Lumbar spine- This is the lowermost part of the spinal column. It is made up of 5 (some people have 6) vertebrae (L1 to L5). The lumbar spine links the pelvis and the thoracic spine and therefore supports most of the body’s weight; they are also the largest vertebrae. The lumbar spine has a curve (lordotic curve) that bends inward (Wilke, 2006).
Challenge to X-ray
Plain X-rays, no matter what technique is employed, normally underestimate the extent of traumatic injury. In addition to this, there is a high likelihood that lesions will not be detected. Non-displaced and hairline fractures are very hard to detect using normal radiographs. Using plain X-ray films, latent vertebral fractures are likely to be diagnosed wrongly in patients suffering from osteoporosis (Wilke, 2006).