vertebra cortical cross-sectional area lumbar vertebra cross-sectional area lumbar vertebra cortical cross-sectional area 2013-07-08T18:32:58Z CMO:0001690 JSmith The portion of the cross-sectional area of a lumbar vertebra that corresponds to the area of the cortex, the outer layer of the bone. The cross-sectional area of a lumbar vertebra is a measurement of the extent of a plane through, i.e. perpendicular to the axis of, a lumbar vertebra, any of the individual bones forming the portion of the spinal column (the protective bony corridor through which the spinal cord passes) between the thoracic vertebrae in the chest region and the sacrum in the hip region. clinical_measurement_ontology lumbar vertebra compact bone cross-sectional area lumbar vertebral cortical cross-sectional area