Wervelfront

Wervelfront is a term used in some European language texts to denote the anterior or ventral aspect of a vertebra. It roughly corresponds to the front surface of the vertebral body and the parts of the vertebra that face the body cavities. In English-language anatomy, the equivalent phrases are the anterior aspect of the vertebral body or the ventral surface of the vertebra. The term appears mainly in regional or educational materials rather than standard medical nomenclature.

Anatomically, a vertebra consists of a central body (the vertebral body) and a posterior arch. The wervelfront refers to the anterior surface of the vertebral body, which forms the front boundary of the intervertebral disc space and is associated with the anterior longitudinal ligament. The surface varies by level but generally presents as a load-bearing face that contributes to articulation with adjacent vertebrae and discs.

Clinically, orientation to the wervelfront is important in radiology and surgery for interpreting anterior-posterior views and for planning procedures that approach the spine from the front. Conditions affecting this region include anterior compression injuries, degenerative changes in the vertebral bodies, and involvement of adjacent ligaments. Imaging modalities such as X-ray, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging can depict the anterior vertebral surface and its relationships.

Terminology notes: the term is regionally used and not a universally standardized English term; most references favor "anterior vertebral body surface" or "ventral aspect." See also references to vertebral anatomy, the vertebral body, and the anterior longitudinal ligament.