Open AccessVertebral compression fractures: Still an unpredictable aspect of osteoporosis
Author(s) -
Fatma Yeşim Kutsal,
Gizem Olgu Ergin Ergani
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
turkish journal of medical sciences
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.277
H-Index - 27
eISSN - 1303-6165
pISSN - 1300-0144
DOI - 10.3906/sag-2005-315
Subject(s) - medicine , osteoporosis , vertebral compression fracture , radiology , densitometry , magnetic resonance imaging , asymptomatic , compression (physics) , bone mineral , dual energy , insufficiency fracture , surgery , materials science , composite material
Vertebral compression fracture is a hallmark of osteoporosis (OP) and by far the most prevalent fragility fracture. It is well proven that patients who develop a vertebral compression fracture are at substantial risk for additional fractures. Diagnosis is based on adequate clinical evaluation, imaging, and laboratory tests. The imaging of OP and fragility fractures includes conventional radiology to evaluate spinal fractures, bone mineral density (BMD) testing by dual energy x-ray densitometry, quantitative computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, bone scintigraphy (if necessary), and ultrasound. Screening and treatment of individuals with high risk of osteoporotic fracture are cost-effective, but approximately two-thirds of the vertebral compression fractures (VCF) that occur each year are not accurately diagnosed and, therefore, not treated. Evaluation of VCFs, even though they may be asymptomatic, seems essential to health-related and/or clinical research on OP.