[MRI analysis of non-traumatic multiple vertebral collapse in aged people].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the MRI in the differential diagnosis of acute non-traumatic vertebral collapse.


METHODS
Sixty-eight cases were retrospected. All cases were studied with sagittal T1-weighted MR images, T2-weighted MR images, gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted MR images, and axial T1-weighted MR images. Twelve of 68 were performed extra coronal T1-weighted MR images and 22 with additional axial gadolinium-enhanced T1-weighted images.


RESULTS
The causes of vertebral collapse were: (1) osteoporosis (n = 31), their images showed retropulsion of bony fragments of collapsed vertebral body which kept the normal signal into the spinal canal as the distinctive sign; (2) metastatic tumor (n = 30), their images showed destructions of pedicles of vertebral and epidural mass as the distinctive sign, and hyperintense or mixed hyperintense signal on T2WI and enhanced T1WI of compressed vertebrae; and (3) multiple myeloma (n = 7), their images showed long T1WI and long T2WI, without destruction of pedicle and epidural mass in compressed vertebrae.


CONCLUSIONS
MRI is useful to the differentiations of the non-traumatic vertebral collapse in aged.
Shen
B X
BX
Department of Radiology, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha 410011, China.
Zhou
S K
SK
Zhang
K J
KJ
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009101:Multiple Myeloma / Q000150:complications; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000150:complications*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae