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Vertebral fracture assessment using a semiquantitative technique
Author(s) -
Genant Harry K.,
Wu Chun Y.,
van Kuijk Cornelis,
Nevitt Michael C.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of bone and mineral research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.882
H-Index - 241
eISSN - 1523-4681
pISSN - 0884-0431
DOI - 10.1002/jbmr.5650080915
Subject(s) - medicine , radiography , quantitative assessment , osteoporosis , nuclear medicine , fracture (geology) , radiology , rachis , incidence (geometry) , surgery , mathematics , materials science , risk analysis (engineering) , geometry , composite material
Abstract The assessment of vertebral fracture by conventional radiography has been refined and improved using either semiquantitative or quantitative criteria. The inter‐ and intraobserver variability was determined for a semiquantitative visual approach that we routinely use in clinical studies for assessing prevalent and incident vertebral fractures. In addition, the semiquantitative approach was compared with a quantitative morpho‐metric approach. The incidence and prevalence of vertebral fractures were determined in 57 postmenopausal women (age 65–75 years) by three independent observers. The radiographic basis for fracture definitions and the source of interpretative errors are illustrated. The results show excellent intraobserver agreement and good interobserver agreement for the semiquantitative technique. We conclude that the semiquantitative approach can be applied reliably in vertebral fracture assessment when performed using well‐defined criteria.