Overview
A secondary osteoporotic vertebral fracture is a fracture of a vertebra that occurs in the context of osteoporosis, a condition characterized by low bone mass and microarchitectural deterioration of bone tissue, leading to increased bone fragility and susceptibility to fracture 1. These fractures are often asymptomatic and underdiagnosed, increasing the risk of subsequent fractures 1.Diagnosis
More than 65% of vertebral fractures are asymptomatic 1.
Vertebral fractures are frequently unrecognized when incidentally found on imaging 1.
Radiologists should report incidental vertebral fractures found on chest or other radiographs 1.Management
Recognition and reporting of vertebral fractures are crucial to prevent future fractures 1.
Clinical response following diagnosis of a vertebral fracture is often lacking 1.Key Recommendations
Radiologists should report vertebral fractures evident on a chest or other radiograph, even if incidental to the immediate clinical indication 1. (Evidence: Expert opinion)
Recommendations can help close the gap in recognizing and treating vertebral fractures, thereby preventing future fractures 1. (Evidence: Expert opinion)
The identification and reporting of spinal fractures are not uniform 1. (Evidence: Expert opinion)References
1 Lentle BC, Brown JP, Khan A, Leslie WD, Levesque J, Lyons DJ et al.. Recognizing and reporting vertebral fractures: reducing the risk of future osteoporotic fractures. Canadian Association of Radiologists journal = Journal l'Association canadienne des radiologistes 2007. link