title: Can an osteoporotic vertebral fracture cause compression of the spinal cord or cauda equina.
abstract: A 78-year-old woman developed an osteoporotic fracture of L2 followed two months later by spinal cord compression. Imaging study findings suggested a malignancy but a biopsy showed osteonecrosis, of which there was no evidence on the imaging studies. Osteonecrosis may be the cause of neurologic compromise associated with osteoporotic vertebral fractures.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rheumatology, Saint-Etienne Teaching Hospital, France.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Courtois
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Lauwers
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Prades
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Alexandre
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D002420:Cauda Equina; D005260:Female; D005598:Fractures, Spontaneous / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D009408:Nerve Compression Syndromes / Q000209:etiology*; D015663:Osteoporosis, Postmenopausal / Q000150:complications*; D013116:Spinal Cord; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000150:complications*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries