Lumbar and thoracic vertebrae can be distinguished by vertebral position, morphology, physiologic curvature and mobility.
1. Vertebral position: the thoracic vertebrae are above the lumbar vertebrae; the thoracic vertebrae are connected to the cervical vertebrae, totaling 12 vertebrae, and are continued under the lumbar vertebrae, which have a total of 5 vertebrae.
2. Vertebral morphology: the arch of the thoracic vertebrae is longer and extends diagonally downward, while the arch of the lumbar vertebrae is shorter and wider, and is almost at right angles to the vertebral body.
3. Physiologic curvature: the thoracic vertebrae have a backward curvature, while the lumbar vertebrae have a forward curvature.
4. Mobility: The thoracic spine has less mobility due to the limitation of the shape of the vertebral arch, while the lumbar spine has much more mobility than the thoracic spine.
The difference between the lumbar and thoracic spine is multifaceted, and there are other points of differentiation in imaging.